Ice Age: The Threequel
by Maudiebeans
Summary: FINISHED! The story takes place after the Meltdown. The herd moves out of the valley but soon run into the slew of creatures residing on the other side of the glacier walls! MannyxEllie, DiegoxOC, and SidxOC
1. Chapter 1: The New Herd

**A/N**: First of all, hello toeveryone! I'm new here! I've been fascinated by the many wonderful fanfics in the growing Ice Age fandom, and here I am adding to the ranks. Hopefully, I'll do a good job. This is my first time showcasing fanfiction since I'm really not the type to write things out. I appreciate comments, as well as those who'd offer a helping hand in mistakes I make.

Secondly, this fanfic takes place right after the Meltdown. This story is based off two RPG's I've been playing with a couple of friends, and I hope I can complete this fic for them. There will be OC's or Fan-characters. Call them what you will! I shall warn you right now it's going to contain Diego/OC, and Sid/OC! I've got sloths, tigers, AND wolves! Oh my! XD Yes, I'm going all out, but don't worry its not gonna happen all at once! I hope those who read will enjoy!

On a final note, special thanks to my two buddies, Daniel and Shannon, for taking the time to read and check my work.

Disclaimer: You know the drill! All cannon characters belong to Blue Sky Studios. All fan-characters belong to me, Daniel, and Shannon

**2011 Edit: **I'm going through each chapter and editing small mistakes, and placing horizontal rulers to discern when a scene changes. During the site's changes the "stoppers" I had placed for this fanfic had vanished. It kinda bugs me now ;)

* * *

CHAPTER ONE: _"The New Herd"_

The flood was over, and all the animals scattered back to their homes or headed off to new lands. One such herd was that consisting of two mammoths, two opossums, a sloth and a tiger. As weird as it was to others, no one seemed to question this oddball bunch, no one asked "Why" or "How". They simply were. And they were fine with that.

For a moment, the group split apart temporarily. Sid and Diego had feared it would be permanent, but knew it was for the best interest of their larger friend, Manfred. Though in the end, Manny came back to his friends, and with three new additions who shared Manny's feelings about staying with the herd. He was no longer the last mammoth, but he took greater happiness that he and Ellie were now together. The moody mammoth was not so moody now (unless Sid came into play). The herd expanded a little, and they were traveling to the other side of the valley which was previously blocked by the glacier wall. Things were back to normal.

Well, not entirely normal.

"Can we PLEASE take a pit stop?" Eddie whined, sitting atop Diego. "I need to use the little opossums room. Unless Diego doesn't mind me going right now."

The tiger halted and both opossums jerked forward. "H'okay, we're taking a break._ Now._"

Eddie and Crash both hopped off the tiger's back and ran for the bushes. Sighs of relief could be heard and once the two brothers were done they ran back out, engaged in a slap-fight. Diego rolled his eyes and ignored their antics. He looked back and saw the two mammoths walk up to the three. Ellie chuckled, watching her brothers while Sid slid off Manny's back rather ungracefully.

"What do you think those fat, lumbering mammoths, -no offense Manny-, were doing on this side?" Crash asked to no one in particular.

"I think they were having a party." Sid chimed in. Manny frowned and looked at his friend.

"A party? What are you, an idio-", he stopped himself and sighed. "I forgot who I'm talking to."

"Maybe they were simply blocked off by the wall. They form all the time in winter!"

Manny, Diego and Sid stared at Ellie, who made the obvious assumption. Diego shrugged and sat on his haunches.

"I'll go with it," he said.

"Hey Ellie!" Eddie hopped onto his sister's tusk then to her head. "TAG!" He then took a dive and landed on the ground, scurrying off with Crash in tow. Ellie waited for a moment to give her brother's a head start before charging after the two.

"I'm gonna getcha!"

"Oh no you're not!"

"Slow poke, slow poke!"

Manny kept his gaze on Ellie, smiling as he did so. Even though his trunk hid the fact, his two friends knew. Sid walked up beside his giant friend and patted him on his leg.

"It's really great she could join us, huh, Manny?"

"Yeah." was all Manfred said. Diego let Manny have his moment, but Sid couldn't keep quiet if he tried and continued again.

"I was thinking..."

"That can't be good..." Diego said.

"What do opossums eat?" The sloth finished.

"What you're really asking is what did Ellie eat, right?" Diego said, and Sid nodded. Both of them looked at Manny to see if he had any theories. The mammoth was still watching Ellie who was playing with her brothers. When he realized all had gone silent he blinked and looked down at his two friends.

"What?" he asked stupidly. Diego smirked, and Sid repeated his question.

"What do you think Ellie ate, Manny?"

"How should I know?" the annoyance was back in his voice, more so because of his embarrassment.

"For a mammoth, she's a lot slimmer than you. Maybe a opossum's diet is better than a mammoth diet!"

"Get real, Sid." the tiger rolled his eyes.

"I'm serious! Manny could try it and get rid of his 'fat' hair-OW!" Sid rubbed his head as Manny pulled his trunk away.

"Look who's talking, you squishy little blob."

"Hey!"

"He has a point." Diego smirked.

"Oh yeah? Well I'm not the one who eats his weight in other mammals." the sloth remarked.

"This is all muscle, pal," he buffed his claws on his fur. "Besides, have you seen any other sloths lately? It looks like you ate two of them."

"Hah-hah" Sid squinted, and pointed his claw at the two of them. "Mark my words! Ellie isn't gonna want a big fat mammoth! You better start shaping up, buddy!"

"Whatever, Sid" Manny walked on, and in turn his two friends followed.

"I'll give them six months, two if he gains more weight." whispered Sid to Diego.

"Shut up, Sid." Manny replied.

Further ahead Ellie, Crash and Eddie continued their game of tag. Ellie patted the ground ahead of her with her trunk before peeking around the tree she had seen her brothers run behind. She looked up and both of them ambushed their mammoth-sister and landed in her fur.

"Banzai!" Crash shouted.

"Ah! Ahah, oh no they got me!" Ellie laughed, reaching over with her trunk trying to tag the opossum brothers.

"Do you give up?" Eddie grinned, tickling her behind the ear. The she-mammoth let out a trumpet of a laugh.

"Never!" she cried.

"Ellie!" they all stopped their game and looked ahead to see Manny call out. "Let's go!"

"Coming!" Ellie sighed in content and tried catching her breath from all the laughter. Eddie and Crash slid down her trunk and onto her tusks. One standing on each.

"You know," Eddie mused, "being out in daylight isn't so bad."

"You're so right! Now we know our sister can't be snatched up by a hawk we don't have to worry about predators! We can play all day!"

Ellie smiled and followed behind Manny and his two friends while listening to her brothers discuss more plans for games. As a opossum, she was used to staying in one spot. Only changing locations when the weather destroyed their previous home. It was far too dangerous for a opossum to migrate with so many predators wanting to make a snack out of you. Thinking it over, she realized why she wasn't preyed upon by most of the opossums natural enemies. Ellie had simply concluded they found her unappealing, which in turn made her chuckle at the thought. Being a mammoth made her unappealing to a lot of animals, predators and fellow opossum alike. Then she glanced at Manny.

_At least someone finds me appealing._

Not that Eddie or Crash didn't, but they were different. They were her brothers who loved her unconditionally, opossum or mammoth. She wondered if they knew about her being a mammoth all along, and were they simply pretending to act as if she were a opossum to make her feel less self-conscious? Ellie smiled, knowing either or, it was still very sweet of them. And to her, they would always be family. Now they had a bigger family; a herd. Ellie was glad Manny came after her. As natural as it was to travel with other mammoths, deep down she did not feel right. Traveling with Manfred, Sid, and Diego felt right. Perhaps it was because they were unique like she was. They didn't care who their companions were, she and her brothers were oddballs like the rest of them, and they fit.

"Is everything alright?" Manny asked quietly. Ellie looked up and saw the other mammoth now walking beside her.

"Oh yeah, we're doing great!" she smiled.

Manny smiled in return then his gaze wandered off. He was still unsure of how to act around Ellie. Not to mention how shy he was despite the fact they were together, but he concluded taking small steps with her would be fine. Small, _slow _steps. With that in mind, it took Manny a while before he finally moved his trunk slowly over towards Ellie's. She blinked as his wrapped over hers, but she smiled and returned the gesture. Her eyes meeting his, showing love in them, made Manny smile again. This was good. In fact, it was great. _Smooth move, Manny_, he cheered himself mentally.

"Aww c'mon, get a cave you two!" Crash whined. Eddie's snickers followed, then the two danced along Ellie's back before making mock smooching noises.

"Crash! Eddie!" Ellie reflexively pulled away from Manny's trunk in embarrassment. The fact that Sid and Diego had to look back to see what the commotion was about wasn't helping their situation one bit. In turn Manny glared at her two brothers who both made faces at him. They suddenly flinched and ducked as the mammoth threatened to slap them both with his trunk.

"We were only having some fun!" Crash snickered and hopped off his sister and onto Sid's head. Eddie joined his brother, finding a spot on Sid's shoulder. His tail wrapped around the sloth's long neck to keep from falling off.

"Aw, give them a break. The meltdown is over, and spring is in the air! It's the time for Love!" Sid spoke in a sing-song voice.

"Love is for the birds." Diego commented dryly.

"You say that because you don't have a better half." the sloth pointed.

"I dunno I can't picture tiger all dumb and awkward like Manny is around Ellie." Eddie chuckled and Crash reached down to give him a high five. Suddenly they both gasped as they saw Manny's trunk coming down, balled into fist-shape. They leaped off the sloth, and Sid took the brunt of the hit.

"OW!" he rubbed his head and looked back at Manny. "What was that for?"

"Whoops. I was aiming for the opossums."

"Well, ya missed." Sid squinted at him.

"Close enough." Manny shrugged.


	2. Chapter 2: Beyond the Glacier

**CHAPTER 2:** "_Beyond the Glacier_"

The herd continued their trek. None of them really having a particular destination to reach. They would travel until nightfall, and rest, then continue again at dawn. That was how it's always been. Of course they would stop to eat and drink, but like most herds, despite how odd they were, it was natural to move from place to place.

The other side was big, to say the least. Big in Manny's opinion since they were all confined in the valley. Even though it was spring, snow still covered patches of ground here and there, but the land was still green enough. There were no forests like in the valley, just open plains littered with large rocks and the occasional tree. It made the mammoth a little nervous. The valley was safe for a reason; no predators, save for Diego. This was a predator's paradise; open ground and good ambush spots. He made it a point to avoid walking near the boulders.

Manny took comfort that Diego was on their side. Diego was just one tiger, but his tracking skills were still top notch, plus he fought for his friends ferociously on more then one occasion. Not that Manny couldn't hold his own, but he was more concerned for Ellie, and their smaller companions. They just finished avoiding their last date with death during the flood, and no one was looking forward to another.

Further ahead, Diego took the lead with Sid right behind him, and back on the sloth were Crash and Eddie. The opossums took the sloth's advice and decided to give Manny and Ellie a little room, which was why the group put a little distance between themselves and the mammoths. Sid hummed happily while the opossum brother's took in the sights, oo-ing and awe-ing once in a while. Sid noticed Diego also taking in the sights. His green eyes scanned the area as his ears swiveled to and fro. Probably processing some hunting strategies for later came the sloth's conclusion. He opened his mouth to say a wise-crack but stopped abruptly once seeing Diego stop.

"Hey whats up, Tiger?" Crash asked, hopping off Sid's head. "Catch a whiff of something you didn't like?"

"Yeah, like Sid!" Eddie joked and both brothers broke into laughter while Sid made faces at them. He noticed Diego didn't move or say anything, and that made the sloth worry. He looked back and Ellie and Manny finally caught up to them.

"What's up?" Ellie asked. Her two brothers hopped back onto her tusks.

"Diego is acting funny," Eddie pointed.

Manny cocked an eyebrow and walked up to his two friends. "Hey Diego, is everything alright?"

"I'm not sure, Manny," he replied. He scanned the area before looking up at his large friend, "I caught the scent of other tigers."

A hush fell over the herd after Diego's announcement. Eddie and Crash scurried up to Ellie's head, seeking safety behind her poofy hair. Even Sid inched closer to Manny, glancing around while gnawing on one of his claws. Ellie couldn't help but look around as well then she looked at Manny who kept his cool.

"Do you know which direction?" Manny asked. Diego shook his head.

"Not really. The scent is faint, but it's there. I suggest we stick close together for now."

"Good idea!" Eddie cowered, hugging Crash for comfort.

"I take back what we said about being in daylight. Let's go back to the night life!" Crash hugged Eddie back. "Oh I love the night life, I love to boogie!"

"I dunno, maybe all the tigers left the area like the mammoths did." Ellie said, trying to calm her brothers down. Manny looked at her then back at his tracker friend.

"Well Diego? You're the tiger expert, what do you say?"

"It's possible. If the mammoths were the food source then they'll be following the herd. Chances are we won't see any the further in we go."

"That's a relief," Ellie sighed then caught herself. "No offense Diego!"

"None taken."

"Yeah, sorry pal, its just that your kind are carnivorous monsters." Crash added. Diego decided to ignore that comment.

"Alright then. We'll play it safe for a while," Manny announced. "Sid, keep between Ellie and I."

"Couldn't I hitch another ride, Manny ol' pal?"

"No." he said sternly, and walked off. "Now keep moving."

Diego kept in the lead with the mammoths right behind him. Sid didn't know what was more dangerous; being in the line of fire of Manny's trunk or getting left behind. He decided not to chance it and walked beside Diego instead.

Sid twitched and fiddled with his claws. It was much to quiet now. He honestly blamed Diego who made that morbid announcement. Even Crash and Eddie were too frightened to crack jokes. This called for his special game. One he played during long journeys often wishing Manny and Diego would join in.

Open road songs!

_Hm, let's see..._ The sloth mused. He needed a subject for a song. Rocks? Too boring. Trees? Too cliche. Ice? Well he did invent a song called "Ice, ice, baby" but his friends didn't enjoy that much. In fact they didn't enjoy his singing all together, but Sid never paid that any mind. He looked at Diego and something came into his mind immediately.

"_Ohhhh, the wonderful thing about tiggers is tiggers are wonderful things!_" Sid began to sing.

Manny rolled his eyes and resisted the urge to rub his head with his trunk. Eddie and Crash were heard snickering at Sid's song and peeked from behind Ellie's hair. They were more curious of the outcome rather than the song. Sid felt the tension rise, and smiled to himself. He even heard Ellie chuckle which only encouraged Sid to continue.

"_The most wonderful thing about tiggers is that Diego's the only one!_"

"Sid, you have five seconds to shut up before I kill you." Diego growled.

The sloth obeyed, but only for a short time. The threat couldn't hold him back not when so many ideas poured into his head. He did his best to keep his mouth shut. It was a battle really. The words were trying to force their way out, demanding to be sung. It wasn't Sid's fault Diego didn't appreciate music!

"_It's the eye of the tiger, its the thrill of the fight! Risin' up to the challenge of his rivaaaaaal! And the last known survivor stalks his prey in the night. And he's watchin' us all in the eye - of the tiger! _" Sid broke out into song again, doing a little pose for flare. Eddie, Crash, and Ellie couldn't help themselves and busted into laughter.

"Ten points for creativity." Manny said.

"That's it! You're dead, sloth!"

"Huh? AHHHHH!" Sid barely dodged Diego as he pounced, then he broke into a full waddle-run. Manny walked calmly and lifted one large leg as Sid ran underneath the mammoth. Diego simply ran around Manny and continued his pursuit. A top Ellie, Crash and Eddie cheered and shouted.

"Run, sloth, run!" Eddie called out.

"Tiger's gaining on ya!" Crash shouted, then grinned "C'mon, Tiger!"

Ellie looked on with concern then she glanced at Manny who didn't seem to be bothered with it.

"It's okay," he said. "Sid will last five minutes. Tops."

"That's what I'm worried about..." Ellie frowned.

Manny was right, as usual. Sid wasn't built for running, and the fastest he could go was at a quick waddle. He heard Diego's threats and knew the tiger was gaining on him faster and faster. He looked around for a place to hide and saw a tree up on a hill not to far ahead. He wouldn't make it so he needed to buy some time.

"Look! Another saber!" Sid pointed in a random direction and feigned surprise. Diego skidded to a halt and looked back to where the sloth was pointing. Sid blinked. He couldn't believe that actually worked! He made a mad dash for the tree, feeling rather cocky.

"SUCKER!" he called out to Diego.

"Oh, you're asking for it fuzz-ball!" Diego growled and sprinted after him.

Sid hopped onto the trunk of the tree and quickly made his way to the highest branch he could find. Diego was right behind him, clawing at the bark and climbing fast. He took a swipe at Sid before letting go and landing back on the ground.

"Ah, come on Sid." Diego smirked. "I'm not gonna hurt ya...just tear out your vocal cords."

"Ahaha, nice kitty." Sid laughed nervously. He shouted and flinched as Diego leaped up the tree. The tiger came so very close in swatting Sid with a paw. "Down kitty! Down!"

That only encouraged Diego to continue scaring Sid senseless, and it made him feel much better now that Sid was being tormented. The sloth stood on his branch and clung to the trunk of the tree as if his life depended on it (and it did). He turned his head and looked in the other direction. Being on a tree AND a hill really gave one a bird's eye view. And in all the commotion of Diego's snarling and Sid's pleas of not dying, Sid spotted a figure in the distance.

Coming towards them.

Sid recognized the shape of the stranger. Ignoring the real danger he called to Diego. "Hey Diego! Look, its another saber!"

On the other side of the tree, Diego looked up at Sid skeptically. He couldn't see what Sid could see, and that line was already used previously.

"I'm not falling for that again."

"No! Really!" Sid looked back and saw the tiger now directly below him, grinning and crouching low, ready for a pounce. "Aww cute kitty-AHHH DOWN KITTY! DOWN!"

Diego prepared for a leap, but another figure beat him to it. Sid was actually right! He had no time to be puzzled, however. The new tiger clawed its way up towards his friend, and quickly Diego lunged after the tiger to intercept. He roared and swiped a paw at the stranger, who in turn, yelped and continued up the tree till he found a branch to sit upon. The tiger was right across from Sid and both sloth and tiger looked at one another then down at Diego who growled at the intruder.

Sid looked at the new tiger then down at Diego, and back at the tiger. "You too, eh? Diego has that effect on animals."

Suddenly a long brown trunk reached into the branches and wrapped itself around Sid's neck. His eyes bugged out momentarily until he was released onto the ground. The sloth dusted off and found refuge behind Manny as protection from Diego, not the new tiger.

"So much for there being no tigers." Manny stated.

"Don't worry, I'm on it, Manny" Diego said, not letting his gaze leave the other tiger. The intruder only flinched and clung to the tree in the same manner Sid had done. Sid peeked from behind his mammoth friend and noticed the tiger wasn't big like Diego. In fact, he was really small.

"Aw, its just a wittle tigey-wigey." Sid cooed.

"Awww! So he really is a kitty!" Ellie added in.

Diego snorted. He wasn't convinced that things were alright. Manny agreed, and they both glared at the new tiger who only cowered in the tree.

"Little tigers still have big teeth." Diego said.

* * *

**A/N:** And the first OC is introduced...kinda. TA-DA! XD; Oh man, I suck at descriptions. I have trouble finding words to describe their surroundings. I'm more better at drawing scenes rather than typing them, so bear with me!

And thanks for the nice reviews! D As for the oppossum/possum thing I found out those are two completely different animals...and I got lazy so I'll be sticking with possum XD I hope no one minds It's my excuse and I'm sticking with it! Anywho, I hope this chapter was enjoyable, and I'll have the third one up later in the following week!


	3. Chapter 3: Out on a Limb

**CHAPTER 3:** "_Out on a Limb_"

Manny and Diego continued to glare daggers at the young tiger who only cringed under their gazes. Ellie glanced back and forth between the three figures and sighed. She couldn't allow them to be so mean to the little kitty! She did not see the danger they saw, and even Sid who was the potential victim didn't seem to harbor any grudges against the little predator. She took a few steps forward and stood beside Manny.

"Cmon you guys, leave him alone," she said. When neither moved she tried a smile with her plea. "Pretty please?"

"What are you doing, here kid?" Diego finally said. Ellie looked up and saw the young tiger flinch as he spoke. Diego waited a moment before trying again, "Well?"

"I saw you chasing the sloth," came the quiet voice, like a child who was being chastised. "I thought you were hunting."

"Ahaha, Diego hunting me?" Sid laughed nervously and then dove behind Manny again as Diego glared back at him this time.

"They're my friends." Diego stated. "That means they are off limits to your diet. Got it?"

He snarled to get the point across, and the other tiger nodded urgently to show that he did indeed get the message. The glaring contest continued once more and Ellie huffed before stepping ahead of Manny and Diego. The tiger panicked and looked for a higher branch to climb on as the female mammoth approached the tree.

"Whoa! Whoa, its okay, sweetie." Ellie smiled and held up her trunk to show she wasn't going to slap him or anything. The tiger wasn't too relieved as the hair on his back still stood on end. "Don't pay any attention to those two. They always look grouchy. What's your name?"

"Ben." he replied, much to everyone's surprise. Ellie smiled and nodded.

"I'm Ellie." she said, pointing to herself with her trunk. "These are my two brothers, Crash, and Eddie."

Before Ellie could introduce the others, Crash hopped on Ellie's head and squinted at Ben. Eddie joined his brother, putting up his fists as if he were ready to fight.

"That's right buddy! Try messing with our sister and you're gonna get it!"

"You're looking at a couple of awesome possums, kitty! So watch it!"

Ben lowered his ears and frowned at the two opossums. Crash and Eddie yelped and dove back behind Ellie's poofy hair. Heads poked out again to get a glimpse at him.

"Ellie, he's looking at us funny!" Eddie pointed.

"Yeah, he's looking at us like a couple of appetizers."

"I don't eat opossums!" the tiger stuck his tongue out. "They carry diseases."

Crash and Eddie jumped back out and stared at Ben incredulously.

"So you tried to eat the sloth?" Crash said.

"Retard!" Eddie added in and they both laughed.

"Shut up!" Ben growled. His anger vanished once his footing began to slip, and his claws dug harder into the tree. The two possums only laughed harder at Ben's expense until Ellie smacked them both with her trunk. Manny sighed as he observed the situation. There didn't seem to be any danger with the tiger stuck in a tree, but there is never just _one_ tiger. He didn't sense anything wrong, but Manny didn't want to stick around and wait.

"Alright. _Alright._" he said the second time a little more sternly, and his herd-mates all looked to him. "We're leaving. Now."

The mammoth turned away and started walking. Sid looked at the others and started following Manny. Ellie looked up at Ben and sighed.

"Take care of yourself, cutie." she waved with her trunk. As she turned Eddie and Crash jumped onto her back and made faces at the tiger as she walked away. Ben frowned again and decided against making faces. His gaze turned downwards to see Diego still looking at him, and he grew nervous.

"W-what?" he managed to say. Diego's stern expression softened just a bit. He decided he didn't have to be too hard on the kid.

He sighed. "Where's your pack, kid?"

Before Ben could answer, Manny called back to him.

"Diego! Let's go!"

The older tiger looked at Ben for a moment, and before Diego could wait for an answer Manny called again more insistently. Diegou couldn't wait any longer so he walked off to join with his herd.

* * *

The herd's trek continued once more, and Manny was determined to put as much distance between them and the tiger as possible. He had set the pace, going a little faster than normal. Ellie and Diego kept right after him while Sid trailed behind, gasping for air in his usual over-dramatic way. After a while, Manny glanced back and decided the coast was clear. The mammoth slowed down and the others (Sid mostly) sighed in relief. Ellie matched her pace with his and was soon walking along side the other mammoth. She noted how annoyed he looked, but then again that was how he usually looked. Still, her shemmoth intuition told her he was still frazzled by the sight of another tiger.

"C'mon big guy," Ellie smiled while hitting his shoulder with her trunk in a friendly manner. "He wasn't so bad."

Eddie joined in then. He hopped onto Manny's back and gave him a pat with his tiny hand. "Yeah, I kinda liked him." He looked over at his brother, who still sat on Ellie's back.

"I liked him too." Crash nodded, and slyly glanced back towards Diego. "He's a lot more fun to tease."

Eddie smirked, "He's not temperamental."

"Smaller teeth..."

"Probably doesn't shed everywhere."

Diego ignored their taunts completely, his thoughts lost elsewhere. Manny's expression did not change and he looked at Ellie.

"He may not be bad, but who knows if there were more."

"Oh come on Manny, its two mammoths and a tiger!" She boasted playfully, trying to reassure him. There was a tapping on her head and Ellie looked back at Crash.

"What about us, Ellie?" Crash asked.

She smiled playfully. "What about you?"

"Aw, that's cold, sis!" Crash whined and fell back in her fur. Over on Manny, Eddie had done the same thing.

"Glacier cold."

"Why are we even talking about this?" Manny huffed. Eddie hopped back onto Ellie and they all looked at the moody mammoth as he grew even moodier. "We're on our way now, and that kid probably found his family which is another reason we should move far away as possible. For all we know he might have told the others about this walking buffet and I for one am not too thrilled about fighting off a pack of hungry saber-toothed tigers, thank you!"

Ellie frowned a bit, but she didn't press the matter any further. The entire herd walked in silence after Manny's little outburst. Once he realized this, Manny's expression saddened. He didn't mean to snap at Ellie like he did, especially when she tried to lighten the mood. From a previous misunderstanding, he knew he had to leave Ellie some personal space. If he tried to apologize now, or say anything at all for that matter, she would sic Crash and Eddie on him.

It was getting darker faster than usual and when Manny looked up he saw the sky had accumulated several dark looking clouds. _Terrific, _he sighed to himself. It would be good time to stop and find a safe and dry resting spot soon. The herd continued on and fortunately Manny spotted a cave. Thankfully the mouth was wide and tall enough for him and Ellie to walk in.

"We'll spend the night here," Manny said.

Eddie jumped off Ellie and onto Digeo's back, and Crash followed suite.

"Let's go check it out, Diego!" the possum said. "We need to make sure its safe."

"Oh sure, let the tiger do everything." Diego huffed, but he knew they had a point. He was the only one with the fangs and claws. The tiger resisted the urge to roll his eyes and quietly made his way into the cave. Eddie and Crash rode on his back and Sid followed right behind them. Which left Manny with Ellie.

He looked over to Ellie. Her gaze was fixated elsewhere, and Manny wondered if she was simply trying to avoid eye contact with him. He sighed, feeling even worse about his outburst, and walked to her.

"Ellie?" he called, and she turned. He decided to go on and say it. No point in beating around the bush, but knew he had to be sincere, and his eyes showed it. "I'm sorry."

The shemmoth smiled and that made Manny smile. Then she wrapped her trunk around his and pulled in close for a nuzzle.

"You're forgiven, big guy." she withdrew. "You shouldn't be so high-strung though. You really need to learn how to relax!"

"Yeah." he said, still solemn. Ellie blinked as Manny's gaze went back to the ground.

"Manny? Whats wrong?"

"Nothing, its just..." he paused, and he looked up to meet her worried expression. "I just don't want anything to happen to you. Yeah, I worry about the others...but you, most of all, Ellie."

She smiled even more. The end of her trunk balled into a fist shape and lightly punched Manny in the side rather playfully.

"Don't worry, Manny. We'll simply watch each others backs."

From inside the cave echoed Crash's voice. "GET A CAVE YOU TWO!"

"We would, but you're in it right now!" Manfred retorted back, much to Ellie (and everyone else's surprise). Ellie tried to suppress her giggle and she playfully shoved against Manny. Manfred shrugged, feigning innocence even though he didn't fight very hard to suppress his smile.

* * *

"I think I'm scarred for life." Diego muttered after hearing Manny's retort. Eddie and Crash continued to snicker and started their usual antics of yanking on each others tails and getting into slap fights. Diego growled low and they stopped immediately, silently making faces at him.

"Ah, memories! I miss my old cave." Sid sighed happily. He plucked at a mushroom and popped it into his mouth and waddled after Diego.

Eddie turned around on Diego to face Sid. "What's it like living in a cave, Sid?"

"Oh it has its advantages. It's great shelter for rainy and snowy days, keeps you warm at night, and cool in the day. Most caves supply their own sources of food." he popped another mushroom in his mouth, "_. _My old cave used to have a spring!"

"Wow, sounds pretty ritzy." Crash noted.

"And it can protect you from predators!" Eddie nodded.

"Unless, of course, it belongs to a predator." Diego added. He smirked as he heard Sid choking on a mushroom while taking in that revelation. And he felt the weight of the two possums shift on his back as they held onto each other. "Oh, don't get your tails into a knot, girls. I was just kidding."

"You don't sense anything?" Sid asked.

"No." Diego turned around. "This is as far as the cave goes and there is no trace of anything else being here. Looks like this place is ours for the night."

"YEAH!" Eddie jumped off the tiger and ran to a cluster of mushrooms. "Wow check these out, Crash! They glow!"

"Cool!"

"Alright, you two, you can goof off later." Diego headed back to the entrance. Sid motioned the possum brothers to follow and they scurried after Sid, both carrying armfuls of mushroom.

"Hey, Diego, I was wondering."

"You do that often, Sid, I'm surprised you haven't busted a vein yet."

"Har, har" he punched Diego in the shoulder. Diego raised an eyebrow, glaring half-heartedly and Sid smiled nervously. "Have you ever thought about joining another pack of tigers?"

Diego almost halted. He continued on, not glancing back at Sid. The question surprised him but he didn't want the sloth to know that.

"Why do you ask."

"No reason. I just got to thinking after we met that little guy." Sid rubbed the back of his head. "So would you go find a pack if there was one?"

"I don't know. The thought never occurred to me, but now that you mention it..." he trailed off.

Sid gasped and bit on his claw. "You'd really leave us! You'd leave your bestest best pal!"

The sloth wrapped his arms around the tigers neck and sobbed. Deigo growled, almost knocked off balance and shoved Sid off him. He hated it when Sid hugged him. He was covered in fungus and he stunk badly.

"Sid...Sid..._SID!" _Diego tried to stop him from bawling. Sid lowered the decibels down to a sniffle, rubbing a claw across his nose making Diego sneer in disgust. "Uhg. Look, I'm still here aren't I?"

"Yeah, true." Sid sniffled some more. Diego made it a point to keep out of the sloth's reach before he was used as a booger wiper.

"As annoying as you can be, you're still my friends. I'm not going to abandon you." he smirked to lighten Sid's spirits. "Got that, knuckle-head?"

"Aww, I was hoping he'd leave." Crash joined in, hitching another ride on Diego.

"You know I can floss with your guts." Diego said. Crash stuffed a mushroom in his mouth to keep silent and Eddie snickered.

"Hey, Crash, let's give some of these mushrooms to Ellie!"

"Okay!" Crash hopped off Diego's back and scurried after his brother, both dropping a few mushrooms in their wake. Diego shook his head, but he couldn't help but smile a little. He glanced at Sid who was picking up the fallen mushrooms and popping them into his mouth.

"Cmon Sid, lets go get Manny and Ellie."

* * *

**A/N**: So Ben is finally introduced! I hope everyone will look forward to chapter four! You know, its really hard to focus on everyone. Diego is my most fav character, but I don't want to be too biased and make this story center on him!

I never realize how much fun it is to write Manny/Ellie till I'm actually doing it XD I hope their mush scenes are good, and I'll do my very best to make sure everyone is in character as much as possible. Thanks again for your reviews and for taking the time to read this!


	4. Chapter 4: Conflictions

**CHAPTER 4:** "_Conflictions" _

Lightning lit up the sky, followed by a boom of thunder announcing the oncoming deluge. It was pitch dark save for the flashes of lightning, and a small reddish glow emitting from a cave where a certain herd has bedded down for the night.

"Water..." Sid sighed, staring out into the raining darkness, yet keeping within the dry shelter of the cave. "Like we need more water! Sheesh!"

"At least we have our 'fire king'!" Eddie chimed, half jokingly. Crash tackled him and they began another game of slapping followed by run-and-tag. Ellie was laid near Sid's fire, enjoying its warmth while Manny rested a few feet next to her. Diego had his spot across their little camp, like always. The tiger tried to let his thoughts drift but was brought back to his senses as one of the possums landed then launched off his head.

"Hey!" he snapped.

"Sorry!" Crash shrugged.

It didn't take long for the possums to wear themselves out. Soon they made their way to their sister and snuggled with Ellie's trunk. She was already asleep, but her trunk gently wrapped around them. Manny looked over to the three and smiled a little. He heard Sid scuffling and eyed the sloth who found, and was dragging a thin rock slab to his usual sleeping spot; beside Diego.

The two were like brothers in the way they argued. Sid mostly causing said arguments. They considered Manfred their bigger brother, metaphorically and literally speaking. Diego shifted his weight, moving slightly to avoid being hit by Sid's tail which dusted off his rock bed. Then, like always, the sloth crawled on top of it, and circled a few times before settling down.

"So-," Sid began, only to be stopped by a yawn. "where are we headed tomorrow?"

"I'm not sure." Manny replied. His eyes glanced to the entrance. Rain was still pouring relentlessly. "There's a lot of places to see."

"Yeah, hopefully." Sid yawned again and reached to scratch an itch on his foot. "If we don't get flooded again."

"Well, if the flood waters vanished as fast as they did when they poured into this side of the valley, I doubt a little rain is gonna do any harm." Diego added.

"You have a point." Sid yawned again.

"Get some sleep, Sid." Manny said quietly. One of the rare times the mammoth had shown sincerity to his annoying friend. Sid smiled rather stupidly, appreciating his friend's concern then his head fell onto the rock with a THUD. Thus, the snoring began.

There was silence between the remaining two then. Diego quietly stared at the fire which had died down some, though still offering warmth within the cave. He didn't look to Manny, figuring the mammoth had already drifted off to sleep. Diego was left alone with his thoughts for company, and he was content with that.

Ever since he met the young tiger, Diego felt his thoughts wandering back to the days when he had a pack, not a herd. He figured if he ever met other sabers he'd shrug it off and move on. Memories of his pack were not fond ones after all. He was taught that your problems were your own, but being around Manny and Sid taught him other wise. You watch your friends' backs, and they watch yours. And he felt that influence now as he wondered about the little guy.

He was worried for the kid.

He looked too young to be on his own, which was why Diego asked if he had a pack. He never got the answer and now he was left wondering if the kid was alright. What was his name again? Ben. Did Ben manage to get out of the tree and reunite with his pack, or was he still stuck up there, or wandering on his own. The rain didn't help matters really. More scenarios entered Diego's mind of Ben cold and alone. He wanted to make sure the kid was safe. He felt conflicted however. Was helping another tiger going against his friends? Would they think he left to find a pack like Sid had questioned earlier? If he got up and left the cave, would they believe he abandoned them?

_He'll be just fine. _Diego thought. _Nothing to worry about. Not a thing. _Suddenly a flash of lightning followed by a boom of thunder shook the earth, putting a halt to his thoughts. Diego's ears swiveled, hearing the bodies of his friend's shift in sleep. He noticed the fire was almost completely out, save for a few embers glowing softly. Diego sighed, telling himself how stupid and soft he's become as he stood up. He decided to go check if the kid was still in the tree.

"If you're going to go out, don't be out all night." came a voice in the dark. Diego almost jumped and realized it was Manny. He thought the mammoth was asleep.

"Huh?" was all the tiger could muster.

Manny smiled. He could tell Diego was still awake due to the weird freaky glow he had in his eyes during the night-time. And he also knew Diego was worried about the kid tiger. Manny didn't like the idea of being pursued by a hungry pack, but he knew there was nothing wrong in letting his friend seek them out. He trusted Digeo.

"You're going to find that kid, aren't you." Manny stated.

"What? Nah...I..." Diego trailed off. Part of him felt guilty thinking he could sneak off without telling his friends. Curse the mammoth for being such a know-it-all.

"Just be back by morning. We don't want to leave anyone behind." Manny said before trailing off to sleep. Diego stared at him, shocked. He cracked a smile before heading towards the entrance. The mammoth may be such a know-it-all, but he was also a good and understanding friend. He looked out into the driving rain, gulped, and stepped out.

* * *

_I really, really REALLY owe Sid for this! _

Diego ran as fast as he could, not enjoying the feel of rain splashing down on him. Already he could feel it weigh him down as his fur became completely soaked. He overcame his fear of water, but that didn't mean he wanted to be in it. To a tracker like himself, water was his worst enemy. They washed away scents and traces of anything that was there before.

_I'm an idiot! I'm an idiot! I'm an idiot! _He mentally beat himself over and over as he searched for the spot Ben was last seen. With no scent he was tracking blindly, doing the best he could discerning where he was by the lay of the land. Lightning flashed across the sky, lighting up the entire area, and Diego spotted the tree they last saw Ben at. He made his way toward the tree and sure enough he spotted a huddled figure in the branches.

"Hey, kid!" Diego called above the noise of the rain and thunder. The figure in the branches moved slightly, confirming that it was Ben. "It's okay, I'm not here to hurt you or anything. I just want to help."

Another flash of lightning and Diego could see that Ben was soaked just as much as Diego was, and perhaps twice as miserable. The older tiger circled around the tree, straining to look upward, the rain stinging his eyes. He tried looking for some pathway Ben could climb downwards on.

"To your left, about three branches down!" Diego called. Ben's ears perked and the young tiger looked to his left. There was a sturdy looking branch and below that, two more. He followed Diego's advice, moving with caution and shivering from the cold rain. He was on the third branch down and close enough to the ground to make a safe jump.

_SPLAT!_

Albeit not a graceful one, but he was on the ground nonetheless. He stood on all fours and looked to the one who helped him. Diego kept his distance so he wouldn't scare the poor kid as Ben studied him with wary eyes, but soon he smiled to show his gratitude. Diego smirked in return despite being soaking wet.

Before he could talk, his ears twitched suddenly. He could barely discern any noises or sights in the rain, but his senses were screaming at him to move. Following his instincts, Diego ducked, feeling something brush past him as soon as he did. A growl of disdain soon came afterward. Surprised, he looked ahead and saw Ben, thinking it was him. Ben was looking to the side and Diego's gaze followed his to see another tiger rising to their feet.

The tiger had slipped upon landing on the wet ground and growled in annoyance. The new tiger turned around, growling at him, and Diego felt a growl rising in his throat as he squared off for a fight. Ben, however, rushed between the two.

"Its okay!" he cried out. A little more confident than what he was during their last meeting. "She's a friend of mine."

"A friend?" came Diego's response. He stepped back slightly. The other tiger moved ahead of Ben a couple of steps, keeping in front of him in a protective manner. Diego noticed her muscles were still taut, ready to leap at him should he make the wrong move. Diego lowered his head in respect. "Easy, I'm not here to fight. I was just helping your friend here. Right, kid?"

Ben nodded eagerly. Diego held back the urge to sigh in relief as Ben vouched for him. His voice barely heard above the thunder and rain as he spoke with his friend. She listened carefully, glancing to Diego from time to time. He quietly observed the two as they talked; probably discussing his whereabouts or something.

Now that Ben was on the ground, and standing rather then huddling in a tree Diego knew he was definitely a cub. It could be another season or so before others would consider him a capable tiger. Ben's nameless friend was slightly taller, an adult no doubt, yet built differently from what he could distinguish in the rain. Her legs were slender, not built for the powerful leaps most sabers favor in hunting. No, this lady was probably a runner.

_Nice legs though_. He noted with a raised eyebrow and half smirk.

"Hey!" he was snapped to the present and saw the two tigers looking at him. Ben was the one who spoke and he moved a few steps ahead of his friend. "What's your name?"

"Diego." he said.

"I'm-"

"Ben." Diego cut him off, and nodded. "I know. Sorry about our first meeting, kid."

"It's okay. Thanks for helping me out of the tree. This is my pack-mate, Adah."

Diego looked to the female who only slightly nodded and giving him a wary look. He didn't pay any mind and shrugged it off. So now he knew the kid had a pack, and his worries were laid to rest. Seeing Adah out here, searching for him, only confirmed it. Since it was all over and done with Diego could get out of this horrible weather and rest easily.

"Uh...well, glad you're okay, kid. I gotta go." he said. Ben looked disappointed and hung his head. Adah nudged him and turned to leave.

"He's right." she spoke for the first time. "Let's get you out of this rain."

"Okay. Hey, Diego, do you think we'll run into each other again?" Ben asked, hopeful. Diego paused for a moment before he headed his own way.

"I don't know kid." His gaze met Ben's, his expression serious, "Just remember, my warning still stands."

The cub's ears lowered and he nodded, remembering Diego's friends. Diego turned and walked off.

"Be sure to tell your friend that, too." he added. Ben watched as the tiger's form vanished in the rain then he left to follow Adah.

* * *

Dawn was approaching. The rain had stopped giving the air a clean fresh scent. The patches of snow had been washed away, but the land glaciers always remained declaring it was still the Ice Age. Even so, the seasons still came and went, and now Spring was in full bloom.

And Manfred took full advantage of that.

His trunk reached high into the trees to snatch down what morsels he could reach; branches blooming with juicy leaves, and fruits ripe for the picking. He had a wicked sweet tooth, and perhaps one of the main causes of his "fat" hair. Manny would never admit it though. As he fed himself, he saved half for Ellie, her brothers, and even Sid.

He awoke before the others. Even Diego was still asleep which surprised him just a little. The tiger's coat looked damp and he led water tracks into the cave. Manny guessed he must have ran hard and far in the rain the other night to find Ben, and that made him feel guilty for it was partially his fault. He was the one who was determined to put distance between the tiger and the herd. In a small act of kindness, the mammoth decided to let the herd linger around the area a bit longer before moving on, enough so Diego could get a full rest.

Soon early dawn turned into full-morning. The sun rising higher into the sky signaling to other animals to start the day. Diego sighed in sleep and opened his eyes only to squint at the light streaming in from the cave entrance. He didn't realize he slept that long and he raised his head to see who was gone. Ellie still slumbered while her brothers snored lightly, curled up against her trunk. Diego had a hunch Manny decided to keep the herd in place so he could get some rest. He rested his head back on his paws and smiled. Diego wasn't the type to sleep in late, it was simply not his style. Still, a cat-nap while basking in the sun did sound relaxing. The tiger moved closer to the entrance of the cave to take in the full light of day. It felt nice on his still damp fur.

As soon as he shut his eyes he heard Sid in the distance. "I saved you little buddy!"

There was a series of yelps and chattering, followed by Sid's own yelps. Diego opened one eye and saw Sid running for his life as a small Scrat chased after him yelling obscenities in his own squirrely language.

"Ow! Calm down, calm down! I saved you, remember, little buddy? OW! Ow, ow, ow! AHH! RABID SQUIRREL!"

Diego sighed, half annoyed and half amused. With friends like Sid around, who had time for cat-naps.


	5. Chapter 5: Three Stupid Mammals

**CHAPTER 5:** "_Three Stupid Mammals_"

Mr. Start loved the mud. The ice age was too cold, the meltdown was too hot, but mud was _just_ right. He waddled off on his own, away from the kids, and his nagging wife to have time to himself. He'd get an earful from Mrs. Start once he got back, but wallowing in puddles of mud would be so worth it. He usually blocked her jabbering out most of the time after years of dealing with it. He shook himself away from those thoughts, and back onto the subject at hand.

The mud was cool against his skin and the feel of it squishing between his toes was wonderful. Mr. Start got in a few good rolls, making sure it covered most of his body. It was a great defense against the biting gnats and flies and kept him cool at the same time. Once he was done, Mr. Start waddled out of the puddle and decided to head back to his family. He took his time, often stopping to munch on a shrub or flower. There was no rush to return home to the complaints of his mate.

As Mr. Start plodded home he was blissfully unaware of the predator stalking him. Diego kept hidden and waited for a chance to strike. Even though he was further off, he knew the prey of his choice was not a particularly fast animal. Though something was bothering him. Something in the area didn't feel quite right, but there were no signs or scents.

"What the? How did he find me out?" Diego watched as the trunk-less start suddenly became quite alert. Mr. Start panicked and ran as fast as his short stubby legs would allow. Diego bit back a chuckle. It was just too pathetic, he almost wanted to let the poor guy go. His stomach objected to that, and the tiger leaped out from his hiding spot and gave chase.

Mr. Start waddled through the grass as quick as he could. As he looked back he screamed upon seeing the figure of Diego in the distance. The tiger ran towards his prey and Mr. Start grunted trying to pick up speed. A small thicket of trees and bushes stood several feet away and he waddled desparately trying to reach the safety it's cover would provide.

"Almost there-AHHHHH!" the trunk-less start almost rolled onto its back as _another_ predator jumped out from the bushes! It was a pack ambush! Instinctively, he turned to flee in the other direction only to run into his first attacker. Mr. Start squealed and fell to the ground. He shut his eyes and wailed.

"Please! Make it quick! I don't like these long, drawn out deaths, its just not my thing!"

There was no snarling or roaring, and to his great surprise (and relief) there were no claws or terrifying fangs looming over him. He opened his eyes and saw _two_ tigers, one standing behind him, the other in front of him. Both of them stared at each other.

"What are you doing here?" Diego asked doing his best not to look annoyed. He stared ahead at the female he met the other night with Ben. Adah frowned and her paw reached over and pulled the quivering Mr. Start towards her.

"It's called hunting," she said. He quirked an eyebrow and decided to grab for the prey _he_ was hunting.

"I believe I was stalking it first."

"I don't see your name on it." she said as a matter-of-fact. Diego lowered his ears. He was hungry, and that didn't put him in a very good mood.

"Maybe if you hadn't interrupted, I could have carved out my initials for ya!"

Mr. Start shivered and covered his eyes with his front feet. The two tigers yanked him back and forth arguing who would be the one to have him as their breakfast.

"D-don't you t-think I-I-I have a say in t-this matter?" Mr. Start stuttered, both tigers looked down on him. "It is my _life _after all."

"You stay out of this!" Diego snarled. The start cringed and their attention was now back on each other. He took his advice to heart and decided to leave while he still had the chance. The noises he made as he entered the brush brought the two out of their stand-still. They looked down to see Mr. Start gone and then glared back at one another.

"Now look what you did," Diego growled, squinting at the other tiger.

"What _I've _done? YOU told him to stay out of this!" They both began to circle one another, their stomachs empty and their moods sour.

"It was YOUR scent he picked up on!" Diego accused. It explained the weird feeling he had earlier, and how the prey ran off when he was positively sure he was hidden. Diego knew he could hunt more, but pride made him stay. He wasn't going to let another tiger show him up. He glared at Adah, not really sure what he was doing. He couldn't attack her; he was hoping she would back down.

His temper cooled down some, allowing him to quietly study his opponent. He was much larger than she was, and in the daytime he could easily discern her features and realized she was not like him or Ben for that matter. Her color was gray, not tawny and certainly not suitable for camouflage in this area. Three black spots adorned the fur on her shoulders and four spots on her hind legs, as well as three smaller ones under her blue eyes. What he noticed the most, however, were her saber-teeth.

"Heh." he smirked. Adah's ears twitched and she looked at him suspiciously.

"What is it?"

"You're one of those _small-toothed_ sabers from up north. What's a runt like you doing here?"

That hit a nerve, and it made Diego happy. Her ears laid back and she growled, baring her teeth trying to look threatening. Diego didn't waver and sat down on his haunches trying not to look too amused at her attempt.

"Small? I could have hurt you if you had gotten in the way of my hunting!"

"Please, sabers like that couldn't even give me a bruise." he said cooly, stroking one of his incisors with a claw. Adah huffed.

"What is it with males and their obsession with size? And don't take out your aggression on me because _you_ lost the start."

"Alright, I apologize," Diego said, rising to all fours. For a moment Adah's expression softened, though slight shock traced her features. It didn't last long as Diego's smirk returned. "Prey that small is probably the only thing you can catch with teeth like that."

The female snorted, at a loss for words. With a "hmph" she turned and marched off. Diego turned away in the other direction, satisfied he won their little ego-match despite the hunger pangs he felt in his stomach.

* * *

Sid sat in front of the entrance of the cave while Ellie and her brothers ate their breakfast Manny had found for them. The sloth had finished his meal some time ago and decided to wait by the cave for Diego's return while Manfred was wandering the area scoping out the territory. Sid was looking forward to what the day had in store for them. And he wanted to ask what Diego did the other night. Manny had told him he ran off in the rain to find that kid.

He nodded and smiled. He had to hand it to himself; Sid took full credit for Diego overcoming his fear of water, and the fact Manny and Ellie were now together. He considered himself the confidante of his two quadruped buddies.

Speaking of, he spotted Diego heading towards the cave. Sid stood up and waved happily.

"Heya buddy! Enjoy breakfast?"

"It was fine." came Diego's short reply. He managed to find something to eat after his first attempt at hunting. His mood lightened a bit, but being around Sid could change that quite easily. "Where is everyone?"

"Ah, Ellie and the possum brothers are having breakfast while Manny is checking out the place." he answered. Diego only nodded and laid on the ground. The sloth joined his friend and plopped his keester back on the ground as well. "So where were you last night?"

"What?"

"Manny said you went out last night. Where did'ja go?"

Diego frowned. "What are you, my mother?"

"I was just asking! Sheesh." Sid pouted and turned away, Diego didn't fall for it and ignored him. Besides, two seconds later the sloth grinned and turned back to face his friend. "You went to check on the kid, didn't you?"

"Did Manny tell you that?" his good mood was slowly vanishing. Sid nodded his head.

"Yeah, but I figured you'd go too."

"Good for you." Diego rolled his eyes and then he sighed. "Alright, I did go out to find the kid. He was still stuck in the tree too."

"Wow."

"Yeah, he's almost as pathetic as you."

"No, I mean wow, I didn't know you were so caring, Diego!" the sloth grinned. He glared at Sid and the sloth backed away holding his claws up defensively. "It was a compliment!"

"Try not to let that compliment slip, Sid." he said, "Remember, I'm here when you sleep."

"Ahaha, duly noted. Did you find anything else about this kid?"

"His name is Ben," Diego added. Sid nodded, remembering. "I ran into another tiger and the kid said she was his pack-mate."

"Ah, so he does have a pack then! That's good, for a second there I thought he was all alo-," Sid paused. "_She?_"

Diego didn't like where this was going. Yet he knew Sid would only make it worse if he knew it bothered him, as he saw so many times with Manny. So Diego kept casual.

"Yeah, her name is Adah."

Then again, Sid was Sid.

"Adah, huh? Already on a first name basis with her? You don't waste any time, do ya tiger?"

"Sid, shut it."

They heard shouts and Sid's attention was drawn away from the topic much to Diego's relief. Ahead, making the commotion, Eddie and Crash scurried to meet their two friends.

"Hey guys! Whats up?"

"Where's Ellie?" Sid asked. The two possums wrestled around, ignoring Sid for the moment. Crash, winning the match, shoved his brother aside to answer.

"She went after Manny," he stuck his tongue out. Eddie jumped up and tackled his brother.

"Yeah, we knew it was gonna be boring. All they do is talk and get all mushy. AH!" Eddie was shoved by Crash and the two rolled around some more before ending their bout in a stand-still. Eddie sat up catching his breath and looked at Sid and Diego "What are you guys talking about?"

"Nothing," Diego stated. Sid had a different opinion on what nothing was and he couldn't keep his big mouth shut.

"We're talking about females!"

"Females?" Crash mused as he rubbed his chin. "What brought this on?"

"Diego has a girlfriend!" Sid blurted. Diego turned his head sharply and gave him a death glare. "Ahh, okay okay! He doesn't have a girlfriend. Yet."

Diego shook his head and decided to tune them out completely, resting his head on his paws and looking elsewhere. Crash and Eddie scootched closer to discuss the topic at hand.

"Wow, I thought Tiger had no moves at all!" Crash chuckled. Eddie gave him a high-five and they both looked to Diego, hoping for some sort of reaction. He still ignored them.

"So, Diego, what turns you on? Is it the way a female stalks her prey?" Crash continued, still trying to get under his skin. He spoke in an announcer-like voice. "Very nice form, look at that pounce! Ooh! Excellent stab to the gut, and the blood is everywhere!"

"Take me, I'm yours!" Eddie chimed in, putting one hand over his eyes and pretending to faint. Crash caught him in his arms, and then they both broke into laughter. Sid chuckled and looked to Diego who grew more annoyed by the minute. He had some sympathy for his friend, plus he didn't want to see Crash and Eddie get eaten so he tried to change the subject.

"What about you two?" he said. The two possum brothers stood up and looked at Sid. "What do you like in a female?"

"She has to like dung!" Crash exclaimed. Eddie nodded in agreement.

"A nice slim figure, a cute pink tail and nose, and must love dung. That's a definite!" Eddie said, counting off the list on his fingers. Diego snorted and the possums looked to the tiger.

"No wonder you two are still on your own, what kind of female would share in your disgusting habits?"

Eddie stuck his tongue out at Diego as Crash looked to Sid. "What about you, Sid? What do you like about a female?"

"Fungus." Diego said which earned a chuckle from the possum brothers.

"You're a real riot, Diego," Sid huffed. "Actually, I'd like a female who has a nice color pelt, soft and not coarse. A cute nose with dainty claws, and well-groomed."

"Wow, the sloth has tastes." Crash raised his eyebrows in surprise. Eddie nodded in agreement, also surprised.

"Sounds like the exact opposite of you, Sid." Diego added.

"You know what they say; opposites attract!" Sid grinned.

"Do sloths give out presents to their females?" Eddie asked. Sid nodded.

"Yep we also have mating dances!"

"Sweet! Do you have mating dances, Tiger?" Crash asked this time.

"No, and leave me alone."

"So grouchy, Diego!" Eddie teased.

"Shut up."

"He's just jealous, that's all." Sid joined in. The three nodded all-knowingly. Diego grumbled and wished Manny would hurry up and get back.

_I __**hate**__ Spring._

* * *

**A/N**: Sorry for the long wait between chapters! Been a little busy :P but I hope this is an enjoyable chapter! The whole thing about Adah's size is a small hint to what species of saber she is. I don't really mention it in the fic because its not that important, but I thought shedding a little light on it here in the author's notes would be good! Kinda like one of those fun-fact things.

Adah is a Scimitar Cat, from what I looked up they are a smaller breed of sabers and lived during the same time as the Smilodon (Diego and Ben's species) They have smaller teeth and slender legs because they were built for chasing their prey, prior to our saber boys whowere ambush hunters. Wow I feel smart! XD I found out about Scimitars in the Ice Age DVD's super cool edition thingy,and thought it would be cool...hah PUN!

As far as the fic concerns, she is a runt to Diego, muwhaha.

Later tater!


	6. Chapter 6: Ben and Adah

**CHAPTER SIX:** "_Ben and Adah_"

Ben waited for Adah at their little resting spot. The location for the day was a small cove of rock shadowed by a small tree planted right above. Ben found it utterly boring and wished he was able to hunt with Adah, but she always made him stay behind. He tried to find ways of entertainment such as stalking small bugs and animals or attempt to climb the flimsy excuse for a tree. After a time, he huffed and plodded down, resting in the shade the tree offered.

He missed their pack. He missed his mother and father and all the faces he had grown so accustomed to. They had lost their pack a week back before the glacial walls cracked open. That natural disaster only made things worse for their part. The rushing water washed away tracks or scents, if there were any, for them to find. They both decided to head north in search of two things; one was their actual pack, the second was another pack which was led by his uncle.

Ben hadn't seen his uncle since he was a very small cub, but he knew the two brothers long agreed upon offering welcome to any tigers from one another's pack should one lose their own. He remembered his mother telling him should he lose his way, go and find his uncle's. If he found his uncle's pack there was a very possible chance he would know the whereabouts of his family. Ben even dared to hope that his father was waiting for him at this very moment.

His mood perked up as he spotted Adah returning. Ben hopped to his feet and ran to meet her. Adah placed his meal on the ground, and rubbed her head against his in greeting.

"Sorry I took so long, Ben." she smiled apologetically. "Catching breakfast this morning didn't go as well as I'd hope."

"It's fine, Adah. Thank you!" Ben snatched his breakfast and headed back under the shade to enjoy the meal she had caught for him. Adah smiled and walked after the smaller tiger to join him in the shade. The heat tired her out and she noted that it took longer than usual to catch something for Ben. The morning was already slipping into Mid-day. Adah would have to get something for herself eventually, but Ben came first. She figured she could catch something while they continued their trek north.

"Adah, do you think we'll find the others soon?" the cub asked. Her ears lowered, not sure what sort of answer she could give to him. The longer it took for them to find their pack the more she doubted they ever would.

"I'm not sure, Ben."

"What if dad was waiting for us up North already?" Ben grinned. He pushed aside his meal and was getting into a pounce position to tackle Adah. "All we'd have to do is get there!"

She allowed Ben to pounce on her and they wrestled around a bit. He yanked at her ear, and Adah rolled over to the side, squishing the cub against the ground. Adah laughed and moved off him, lightly batting at him with her paw. He laughed too and rolled around for good measure. As he distracted himself, Adah found her smile slowly fading as she watched Ben. There were so many things he was still naive about; A tiger's life wasn't always happy, and surrounded with family. It was rare for one to live their entire lives within the pack they were born into.

She couldn't lie to him or avoid the question forever. It was time to tell Ben the truth.

"Ben." she said. He stopped his rolling and rolled back onto his belly and rose to his feet.

"Yeah, Adah?"

"Ben, you know, this whole search for the pack..." She started, hesitating as Ben watched her curiously. She looked at him for a moment, feeling horribly guilty knowing it would dash his hopes. With a deep breath she continued. "...Well, its been so long since we got separated, and with the recent flood, AND the storm it might be possible we may neve-"

"Hey look at that!" he jumped past her. Startled, she looked back and watched him head towards the small cliff on the other side of the tree. Adah sighed in relief taking this as a sign not to tell Ben what she thought of just yet. She followed him and sat beside him.

"What are we looking at, Ben?" she asked. His eyes were fixed on one spot up ahead and Adah tried to follow his line of sight. Down below in the distance she spotted several figures, and instantly she knew it was a herd. Instincts told her this could be the chance opportunity to get something for herself, but then a closer look told her this wasn't a herd she was familiar with. It didn't have the same look of unison other herds had. She saw two large figures, and two smaller figures which were different shapes in themselves. Adah made a face, confused and not really sure what to make of it.

Ben knew however, or at least knew one who was among them. "It's Diego!"

Adah snapped out of it and looked at Ben. "What?"

"That's Diego's herd," he said, as if the concept wasn't strange to him. "All of those guys are his friends. I forgot to tell you about that."

"Clearly, Ben." she turned her head to watch the herd again. Further in the distance she spotted a watering hole, and it seemed like the group was heading there. Adah repressed the urge to sigh, she was annoyed now. Water was their next stop, but the last thing she wanted was to run into that odd herd, especially when she now knew that blasted tiger was traveling with them. She was still miffed over their previous encounter.

There was nothing else to do other than wait until the herd left before they made their way down to water for a drink. Adah looked at Ben, his full attention on the herd in the distance. She decided to take this chance to head out and find something for herself to eat. Ben would be fine on his own for a few moments. The female turned and walked away which shook Ben out of his trance.

"Are we going now?" he asked hopefully.

"No, we're going to wait for a while. In the meantime I'm going to hunt something for myself. Can you behave while I'm gone?"

"Maybe," he said slyly. She quirked an eyebrow and looked at him. He grinned and nodded. "Okay, okay! I'll behave."

She smiled back and nodded before heading out, leaving Ben alone again. He sighed and walked back to the cliff to watch the herd once more. The cub found it so weird and so cool how Diego traveled with mammoths, and he remembered the female mammoth was especially nice to him. As he sat there, his ears swiveled to and fro; his mind was thinking up something he knew Adah would be against. He wanted to go down to the watering hole for a chance to meet them again.

_She wouldn't have to know_. Ben thought. _I could run down there and run back before she returns._

He was eager to talk to Diego and get a closer look at the group he traveled with. He had never seen such a sight before and curiosity engulfed the cub's senses, urging him to find out why they traveled together. It was not only that; Ben was also happy to see another tiger around the area considering they haven't seen one for several days. His instincts told him it was dangerous for him to be around mammoths, especially without a pack. He wasn't hunting though, and he knew Ellie was nice, although he wasn't really sure about Manny. They couldn't possibly consider him dangerous, he was only a cub!

Something still nagged him at the back of his mind. He remembered his mother, even Adah, scolding him about meddling in things he shouldn't be meddling in.

_Curiosity killed the cat... _Was the morbid mantra mothers would tell their cubs. However, Ben had his own motto, and he followed it religiously. Perhaps this is why he got himself into so much trouble.

_...but satisfaction brought him back. _He thought as he left their spot and headed after the herd.

* * *

Despite the Meltdown, water never looked so inviting, especially when it was hot and one was thirsty. Eddie and Crash slid down Ellie's trunk and raced for the shoreline of the lake. Crash jumped on top of his brother's head and made a belly-flop in the water. Eddie winced followed by a chuckle before joining his brother, splashing about in the shallow end. Their sister trodded behind them also walking into the shallow waters. She sucked up a trunkful of water and sprayed it onto her brothers who danced and splashed around in delight.

Manny came up behind them and watched. He enjoyed watching Ellie play with her brothers, their liveliness was something he was growing accustomed to. As long as the possums avoided throwing unpleasant things at him like mud or dung then he was okay with their antics. Most of the time.

He jerked back suddenly as a spray of water came upon him. He blinked and stared at Ellie in shock who feigned innocence and pointed at Crash and Eddie with her trunk. His expression changed into a mischievous looking smirk as he casually made his way beside Ellie. He sucked up water with his trunk and sprayed it back at her, also getting Crash and Eddie in the process.

"Get him, Ellie! Get him!" Crash scrambled up to her head. Eddie popped up behind him and pointed forth dramatically.

"To war!"

"Two can play at this game!" Ellie laughed dropping her trunk into the water. Manny did the same, playfully shoving his shoulder against hers.

"You started it, I'll finish it." came his reply.

Diego found a shady spot to rest under while watching the ongoing water war between the mammoths and possums. He found himself smiling the more he watched them. It was nice to see moody Manny having some fun. He really had to hand it to Ellie. Ever since she joined the group during their escape from the oncoming flood, he could see his friend's tough exterior melt away whenever he was around her. Manny of course was still Manny but with Ellie around there was a side neither he or Sid saw before. And Diego would never demean his friend by saying it was a weakness. It took the mammoth a lot of guts to let go of the past that had haunted him so.

He spotted Sid making his way towards the lake after he wandered off to find a snack. The sloth tossed the remains of a dandelion he finished munching on and brushed his claws off.

"I wouldn't go over there right now, Sid." Diego warned. "You're a target screaming to be hit."

"It's okay, Ellie and Manny stopped their water fight!" and off he went. The tiger shook his head and grinned slightly, knowing what would happen to the sloth.

Sid greeted Ellie and Manny as he joined them by the shoreline for a drink. As he bent over he felt something wet hit him in the face. At first he thought it was Ellie or even Manny spraying water again, but then he realized the wet stuff had a shape. And color. It slowly slopped off his face and Sid feared it was what he thought it was. Mostly, he wondered _whom_ it belonged to.

"It's just _MUD_, ya sissy!" Eddie called.

The sloth didn't mind letting out a huge sigh of relief which earned a chuckle from the possum brothers. Sid stood up, wiping the rest of the mud off his face. He saw the two possums sitting in the muddy sections of the shoreline, mucking about like two starts. The mud made a sucking noise as Eddie hefted up a large heap of it. He looked at his brother and nodded then both stared at Sid with wicked looking grins.

_SPLAT! SPLASH!_

"Awesome!" Crash high-fived his brother. "That was like a double-whammy!"

Sid was hit full in the face with mud which sent him flying back into the water. He came up sputtering and splashing about. Ellie smiled, finding it amusing but also feeling sympathetic to Sid. Her trunk reached down and the sloth clung to it as she yanked him out and placed him onto the shore.

"Very funny you guys." Sid said while shaking his leg and then turned to wring out his tail.

"We can't help it, pal." Eddie smiled and shrugged innocently. "You're this target that screams 'HIT ME!'"

Sid stood up. De ja vu. He could have sworn someone had said that to him, but he shrugged it off and continued to groom himself, as best as a sloth could.

"Why don't we take a walk so you can dry off." Ellie said. She leaned down closer to Sid, her trunk covering the side of her mouth as she whispered. "I spotted a field of dandelions on the other side of the lake."

"Okay!"

"Hey! Can't we come?" Eddie whined. Ellie rubbed her head with her trunk pretending to be in deep thought.

"Well..." she began. Her two brothers hopped on her trunk and gave her their best bambi-eyed impression.

"PLEASE?"

"If you promise to be good!" she nodded. They nodded in return, crossing their fingers behind their backs. Ellie's trunk came up behind them and poked at them. "Don't think you got the sneak up on me!"

She tickled them and they both laughed and scurried to the top of her head. Ellie looked at Sid who grinned, eager for those dandelions she had mentioned. The shemmoth turned to Manny and motioned towards Sid.

"We're going to take a walk around the lake, is that okay, Manny?"

He nodded. "Sure. Though I gotta warn you, wet-sloth is not the most pleasant smell in the world. So if you decide to come back without him, I'll understand."

"Manny!" she tried not to laugh.

"You just don't appreciate good grooming!" he stuck his tongue out to Manny then turned his head to look at the possums. "You know the fungus in my fur makes me turn brown when I dry!"

"Really?" they said in unison. "We gotta see that!"

"Sid, the term 'good grooming' doesn't fit in the same sentence with you." Manny replied.

"Manny!" Ellie tried to sound reprimanding, but she couldn't fight back her chuckle.

"Alright then." Manny shrugged, acting casual. "Don't say I didn't warn ya."

The shemmoth shook her head, still smiling. She then turned and walked off following the shore of the watering hole. Sid waved to Manny and waddled off after Ellie with the possum brothers in tow.

* * *

Sid was in sloth heaven. In a dream-like state, he pranced around the small patch of dandelions before flopping down to munch on them. Ellie giggled and turned to watch what her brothers were up to. Further ahead they hopped in and out of the tall grass growing in the area. Crash ran out while Eddie ran in, then they would both run in. Playing some sort of combo between hide-in-seek and tag. They hopped up all over the place, and Ellie caught glimpses of their small heads peeking out of the tall grass as they did so. She laughed more and headed to them in hopes to join in their little game.

"AHHHH! ELLIE!" she heard one of them shout. She halted abruptly and Sid jumped up from the dandelion patch. Mammoth and sloth both ran to the tall grass and the possums ran out and under the safety of their sister's big limbs.

"Whoa! Whats wrong?" she tried comforting them, patting their heads with her trunk. Eddie shivered and pointed back into the tall grass.

"Something else is in there!"

Immediately Sid dove for cover under Ellie's large form. Ellie found herself gulping, also afraid, wanting Manny by her side. Slowly, she moved towards the tall grass hearing her brothers beckoning her to stay back. With her trunk, she pushed the grass aside looking for what scared her brothers, and at the same time hoping it ran off. She felt her heartbeat quicken as her trunk brushed over something small and fuzzy. The fuzzy thing looked up, it's expression matching hers, and Ellie's fears were laid to rest once she knew who it was.

"Hey, isn't he that little guy we found in the tree?" Crash inquired. Sid walked up beside Ellie to get a look and smiled.

"It's Ben!"

* * *

**A/N**: RUN BEN! RUN! Just kidding. :B

I'd like to thank everyone for their kindreviews, messages and tips, and fav-ing this story! It makes me feel more confident about my writing and knowing people do like my story! YAY! Just so you know I do have a plot outlined, but I'm going to take this much slower from now on. I'm several chapters ahead already but I don't want to upload them all at once. Besides, Adah and Ben aren't the only animals that will be making an appearance! So I hope people will look forward to that

I hope everyone enjoys this chapter, and that you all have a safe weekend. Also, enjoy the upcoming 4th of July to the peeps who celebrate it! Later taters!


	7. Chapter 7: What's new, pussycat?

**CHAPTER SEVEN:** "_What's new, pussycat?_"

"Ben!" Ellie exclaimed. The young tiger smiled nervously while still hiding in the grass even though he had been founded out. The bravado of the two possums returned and they marched forth standing between him and their sister, frowning at the cub.

"Hey pal, whats the big idea scaring us like that!" Crash pointed at him.

"Yeah, you better not be thinking about hunting our sister Ellie!" Eddie paused for a moment, "You can go after Sid again if you'd like though."

"Hey!"

"No one is eating anyone!" Ellie interjected. She took a step forward and Ben shied, taking a step back. She smiled and slowly reached her trunk to pat him on the head. "It's okay cutie I'm not gonna hurt ya. Don't listen to my brothers they like to throw their weight around more than I do."

Sid walked up as well though Ben didn't cower from him as much as he did from Ellie. The sloth grinned and waved. "Hey little guy! Good to see you got out of that tree!"

The cub's ears perked and he took a step forward. "You're not mad at me for trying to hunt you?"

"Nah," Sid waved a claw as if to brush the subject off. "I'm too lazy to hold a grudge!"

Ben smiled and slowly stepped out of the tall grass. Crash and Eddie yelped and dove back behind their sister's leg. The cub followed them, curious to what they were doing. Ellie watched with a smile as Ben peeked behind her leg. Crash and Eddie hopped to the next leg with him following, and the pattern continued till the possums ran back into the tall grass (and Ellie only had four legs). Ben grinned and ran in after them.

Sid and Ellie watched as Eddie and Crash continued the game they played earlier but with a new player. Crash poked out and shouted a taunt and Ben hopped to the source followed by a thud signaling he missed his target. Then it was Eddie's turn, who did a handstand and wiggled his hind end up in the air, his tail barely wiggling above the tall grass. The young tiger dove, snapping his jaws, just missing the possum's tail as he dodged.

Sid cupped his mouth with his claws and called out to them. "Hey! Can I play?"

Ben's head peeked out from the tall grass with Eddie and Crash sitting atop it. Eddie motioned for Sid and Ellie to join.

"Last one in is a stinky aardvark!" Crash called. Sid waddled in happily with Ellie tromping behind him. She moved carefully so not to step on her much smaller herd-mates.

"Ben's IT!" came Crash's voice. The tall grass rustled, forming trails as it was parted by the animals who moved around in it. Sid's trail and Ben's trail went in a head-on collision with one another.

"OW!" they both yelped.

"Sid's IT!" Eddie shouted. "Ellie's base!"

"Oh yeah, I'm ALWAYS base." she scoffed, moving further into the grass. "Just wait till I'm IT, then all of you are in REAL trouble!"

* * *

It was high noon already and the others still haven't returned. Manny paced along the shoreline of the watering hole while Diego sat a few paces ahead watching him. He noted the mammoth was already creating a ditch in the dirt from all the pacing he did.

"They should have been back by now." Manny said, his voice filled with worry. "She said a walk around the lake, not the ocean."

"Easy, Manny." Diego said. His eyes followed the mammoth pacing left and right. "I'm sure they stopped due to Sid finding something. His stomach is like a black hole, y'know"

Manfred stopped and thought over what his friend just said. "You're right."

Diego smiled and nodded to confirm it and put Manny's worries aside. The mammoth looked away and stared off into the distance. The tiger watched him, growing a little concerned by his silence. He took a few steps forward.

"Manny? You okay, buddy?"

"I think I'll go check on them. Besides, it's on our way north. We'll meet them as we go." said his friend. Diego let out an exasperated sigh and shook his head heavily as he followed Manny who was already leaving.

"They're fine, Manny," he said again. Manny didn't say anything and Diego's ears lowered and his voice took a more sterner tone. "Manfred, nothing is going to happen to them."

His friend's pace slowed down some and Diego managed to keep in step. Now walking beside him, the tiger saw the mammoth's expression was solemn, making Diego's expression soften a bit.

"I'm just..." Manny started then paused. He stopped and huffed, looking at Diego with brown, sad eyes. "I don't want anything to happen to her."

Diego stared at him, not entirely sure what he could say. Manny's brows furrowed as he frowned, and turned away.

"I'm probably coming off as some kind of idiot to you, aren't I?" Feeling like such, Manny quietly continued on. Diego didn't follow.

"Manny." the tiger spoke. Manny stopped and turned his large head to look back at his friend. "Look, I know you have strong feelings for her. I really can't relate to you about that particular subject, but she's now a member of this herd. And as such, part of this family."

The mammoth turned around fully to look at Diego who faked a cough. He wasn't really good at this heart-felt speech stuff.

"Uh, I guess what I'm really trying to say is I do understand why you'd be worried about her. We look out for each other in this herd. Give Ellie some credit though. Remember what you said? Mammoths are the biggest things on earth. Besides, if she can put up with her brothers AND Sid that alone makes her a tough animal in my book."

"You're right, Diego." a small smile found its way to Manny's face. He decided to forget about finding Ellie and wait for her back at their resting spot. Diego watched him walk by and looked back at him.

"Hey! I thought we we're going to get Ellie?" He called. Manfred looked back at his friend, a little confused. Diego smirked. "I said she was tough but I didn't say how long her sanity would last. C'mon, Buddy, you said we were heading north on our way anyhow."

This time Diego took the lead and Manfred smiled and turned to follow.

* * *

"Ben? Ben, I'm back!" Adah called as she came up to their resting spot. "Ben?"

She walked around the area and smirked. Her mood was so much better after finding a meal and she figured Ben was practicing his stealth. She got low to the ground and slunk across the rocky terrain, ready to join in this hide-and-seek game.

"I'm going to find you!" she called aloud. After a while, there was no response, and Adah grew a little concerned. Deciding to cheat, she stood up and sniffed around for his scent. It began at the spot where they sat when they watched the herd earlier then it moved away from their area. Further. Further. Even further.

"Oh no..." she breathed, realizing the direction his scent was going; towards the watering hole. She shook her head and bounded downhill, keeping on his trail. "I need to get this kid a leash!"

* * *

"I see them up ahead." Diego said. Manny walked beside his friend and looked up to see Ellie's shape in the distance. It looked like she was marching around in tall grass.

"What are they doing?"

"Who knows." the tiger shrugged.

Meanwhile the five animals continued their game of hide-and-seek-tag. Ellie was IT this time and slowly waded through the tall grass using her trunk to feel for her targets. She smiled as she heard her brothers' snickers coming from her left, on her other side, the grass rustled rather loudly, and she knew it was Sid. And just ahead of her was Ben who was unaware that his head was clearly visible in the grass. The shemmoth decided to go for him.

"GOTCHA!" she shouted, her trunk reaching out for Ben. Reflexively, the possums leapt out of their hiding spots and fled. Sid crashed around a bit trying to join them. All of them left Ben to the mercy of Ellie who tickled him for good measure with her trunk before turning and running after the others, shouting. "Ben's IT!"

"Watch out! Mighty hunter stalks his prey RAWR!" he let out a cub's growl and bounded after them.

Manny's expression contorted into one of fear. Diego's was close, his turning into utter shock as both tiger and mammoth spotted Ellie, Sid and the possums fleeing the tall grass with a tiger running behind them. They all screamed playfully but that only made the two believe there was _real_ danger. Manfred charged and Diego followed.

"Ellie!" Manny shouted. Ellie stopped and looked up and smiled. Before she could say anything in greeting he rushed up in front of her.

"Manny?"

"Keep behind me!" he called. Sid and the brothers looked at Ellie and they all exchanged shrugs. Ellie suddenly realized what was going on as she saw Diego run by and heading for Ben.

"Wait! Diego! Manny! We were just play-" She stopped, hearing Diego roar followed by the sound of scuffling. Ellie quickly rushed up beside Manny to see and found their big tiger had tackled the little tiger.

"What did I tell you about hunting my friends, kid." Diego snarled, pinning the smaller form of Ben to the ground. The cub's ears laid back and he looked at the older tiger with fear.

Ellie stepped up immediately, followed by Sid and the possums who waved their arms, shouting "WAIT!"

"We were just playing!" she exclaimed. Sid, Crash and Eddie nodded to Manny to vouch for her. Diego and Manfred exchanged glances, both were clearly surprised. They both looked to the tall grass, expecting a pack of tigers to ambush them, but nothing was there. Diego looked at Ben and backed away so he could get up.

"Sorry." he said quietly, addressing both Ben and Ellie. The shemmoth nodded and patted the cub with her trunk to make sure he was okay. Manny came up beside Ellie which made Ben withdraw from her and he hid behind Diego this time.

"We thought you were being attacked." the darker-colored mammoth said, his voice also quiet and apologetic. Ellie shook her head and smiled, showing them she wasn't angry.

"Everything is alright." she said. Eddie and Crash hopped up onto Manny's tusks this time.

"Yeah! It's cool big guy!"

"We ran into Benny-boy here and decided to play, that's all!"

Manny's gaze fell down upon the fuzzy maraca that hid behind Diego. Was the kid afraid of him? After the scare Diego gave him, Manny was surprised the kid was still conscious. Even though Ellie said it was alright, seeing Ben around them still made him nervous. It was the thought of other sabers being around, and being less friendly for that matter. Diego told him about the previous night, and a kid this young wouldn't be left alone for very long.

"Uhh, Diego you can handle this." Manny said, guessing if he tried talking to the kid, he'd pass out from shock.

Diego nodded and turned to look back at Ben. "You should probably get back to your pack, kid. The last thing we need is for your family to come here looking for you."

Ben blinked, forgetting they didn't know of his predicament, and before he could tell them he was interrupted by a voice in the distance.

"BEN!"

He froze. The others looked back and spotted a grey figure standing further down the shoreline of the lake. Regaining his senses, Ben made a dive behind Ellie in the same manner Sid and the possums had done.

"Don't let her find me!" Ben pleaded as he placed his paws over his head.

"Who's that?" Ellie squinted, placing her trunk over her eyes to see the figure ahead.

"Adah..." Ben replied.

* * *

**A/N:** When I wrote this I couldn't stop laughing XD The pictures that go through my mind, I pray, are portrayed when I write these scenes down. Once again thanks for all your kind reviews! LOVE AND HUGS!

Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to lurk around and read on people's fanfics. Muwhaha!


	8. Chapter 8: A Dark Connection

**CHAPTER EIGHT:** "_A Dark Connection_"

The herd silently stared at the grey tiger who kept a _very_ safe distance from all of them. Adah gaped, her jaw almost brushing against the ground, trying to figure out if this was real or not. She tried to move but fear kept her back, conflicting with her desire for Ben's own safety. He seemed fine, from what she could see. Upon arriving, she spotted his form diving behind the female mammoth, and though she was afraid to come any closer, she hoped Ben would change his mind and come to her. She gulped as her eyes scanned nervously over each animal, mentally pleading for Ben to join her. If his mother saw what he did, she would faint, just as Adah wanted to do.

"Is she gone?" asked Ben, not wanting to peek and risk the chance of him being discovered. Though it was painfully obvious he could be seen. His stealth skills were not the best of his abilities.

"Nope, she's just sitting there." Eddie said. The two brothers sat on Ellie's back and scoped out the situation. Manny stared at Ellie, not entirely sure what was going on. She only smiled and shrugged.

"Kid, I think you better go back with her. _Now_." Diego said, stepping up a bit. Ben lowered his ears as the older tiger looked at him sternly. "The last thing we need is to run into your entire pack."

"But..." the cub hesitated for a moment then he continued with a small voice. "We're not with our pack."

"What?" Diego blinked. "You mean its just you and her?"

Ben nodded. The others exchanged glances, not sure what to say. Though they all felt a little relieved knowing there would be no encounter with a large group of carnivores. Ben and Adah they could deal with. Ellie gently lifted up Ben's head with her trunk and smiled at him.

"We should get you back to your friend, she's still waiting."

"Oh. Yeah." he gulped, he tried not to imagine what was going to happen once Adah got her paws on him. He slunked out from under Ellie and walked away from the group. To everyone's surprise, Ellie followed behind him slowly.

"Ellie?" Manny called, "What are you doing?"

She looked back. "I'm going to say hello. She deserves an explanation about all this."

Manny began to follow but Ellie glanced back at him, and suddenly the mammoth felt the urge to stay. He wasn't too keen on female signals, but the signal for "Let-me-do-this-or-you're-in-big-trouble" always rang out like a bell in his head. Reluctantly, Manfred stayed behind.

"Mind filling me in on it when you get back?" he asked.

"Sure thing!" Ellie turned back and gently nudged Ben forward. "Let's go, cutie"

Even though the possums had made a friend in Ben, Eddie and Crash were still not brave enough to go with him to talk with the other tiger. They hopped off their sister's back and onto Manny's tusks. The two watched their sister in shock, and Crash sighed, smiling a little.

"She's gotten pretty brave ever since she found out she's a mammoth."

"I almost regret telling her." Manny said quietly. Eddie turned sharply to face the mammoth and pointed at him accusingly.

"It's your fault! Our sister is going to commit extinction!"

"Will you knock it off!" Manny frowned. "She'll be fine."

"We should have sent Diego with her." Crash said. Manny rolled his eyes, tempted to swat them both off his tusks with his trunk.

Sid walked up beside his big friend and looked at the possums. "Hey, we can trust Ben! I'm sure we can trust his friend too. Besides, Diego met her earlier, remember?"

All four mammals stared at the tiger, who was unaware they were staring at him. He glanced over when he realized they stopped talking.

"What?"

"What do you think, Tiger?" Crash asked, folding his arms. "Can that other tiger be trusted?"

"I don't know about that." Diego answered. His eyes skimmed past Ellie and Ben and looked at Adah. She seemed even more shocked that Ellie was escorting Ben back to her, making him smirk "All I know is she's completely harmless."

* * *

Shock, followed by anger overcame Adah upon seeing Ben when she had first arrived to their little gathering. He had deliberately went against her wishes - she told him to stay put! Ohh, he was going to get such a scolding! She huffed, and felt the urge to pace which was her way of calming down, as she waited till Ben finally decided to return to her. He was taking his time too, and with how angry she felt, a part of her did not hold it against him.

Always following after Ben made the grey saber feel rather old (though she would proudly state she was in her prime). She had watched him when he was just a nursling cub, and over time she learned how bold and reckless this cub could be. Adah surmised she would grow old and weary before her time due to all the stress and worry Ben caused her.

Ears twitched, catching the sound of foot-falls. Did Ben finally grow bored of his new playmates, or did the herd finally shoo him off? She had a feeling whats-his-name would be rather unfriendly. What did Ben call him? Deego? Dingo? Dee-something. Looking up, she saw him approach her cautiously, keenly aware of the punishment that was awaiting him. However, Adah's anger froze just like her limbs had done. Behind the cub followed a large, shaggy form of a mammoth. A female to be more precise. If the saber's jaw did not hit the ground earlier, it did now.

"Hey, Adah." Ben murmured as he walked up to her. He expected Adah to cuff him on the neck, or break out and scold him harshly, but she did nothing. She simply stared at Ellie.

"Hello!" the shemmoth said with a wave of her trunk. In turn it made Adah flinch and take a few steps back.

Ellie blinked. She was still trying to figure out this mammoth business, discovering and testing out her strength. Recently, she had just discovered how other animals found her threatening as she had seen previously with Ben, and even now with Adah. Ellie didn't like that part particularly, it would be hard to make friends if that was the case. So she did her best to move slow and show the tiger no harm. Ellie found it amusing though, how these two predators looked at her as she and her friends would look on them.

"I'm Ellie." she spoke gently, refraining from waving her trunk around. "We ran into your friend, Ben over here. You're not mad at him are you? Because we let him hang around with us."

Ben joined in, feeling his courage return as Ellie backed him up. "Yeah Adah! They're really nice! I was playing a game of tag with Crash and Eddie."

"Which ones are Crash and Eddie?" Adah managed to speak.

Ellie motioned back with her trunk to the two possums. "Those two are. They're my brothers."

"They're possums," she stated.

"Yep!" Ellie smiled, not aware that Adah was surprised about her relation to them, but thinking she was simply stating a fact of what they were.

"You're not mad at me, are you?" Ben asked. He thought of going for the big-sad-eyes method to soften her up, but it wasn't really necessary ever since Ellie came into the picture. The sight of the mammoth made Adah's anger vanish completely.

"I was at first, to tell you the truth." she responded. "And I was scared too. I thought something had happened to you, Ben."

"I'm sorry, Adah." The cub lowered his head, feeling guilty, but then jerked back up. "At least we know these guys are friendly, right? Can I go back and play with Crash and Eddie? Pleeeease?"

Adah blinked and stared at Ben. She wasn't sure what to say, she never was in a situation like this before, and wasn't sure what would be right or wrong. The tigress looked up at Ellie for an answer since it was the mammoth's group after all. Ellie nodded to the both of them.

"It's alright with me." she said, "I know the others won't mind."

Without another word Ben ran back to the group. The grey saber tried to object but she was too stunned to speak. By the time she had gained her wits, it was too late; Ben was already gone. Leaving her withthe unusually friendly shemmoth.

"He's so cute! Is he your little brother?" Ellie asked.

"No." she replied quietly.

Ellie continued to ramble on while Adah remained dumbstruck. Why was this mammoth being so friendly? Adah was only one tiger but most prey treated them with caution nonetheless, and here Ellie was trying to strike up a conversation. Adah glanced over in the direction Ben ran to, and saw him playing with Ellie's two "brothers" as the other three stood back watching. She sighed to herself; Ben was a good kid, he had an unprejudiced heart, not ruled by the beliefs most predators followed. Even so, it got him into a lot of trouble. This was more confusing than the time he followed a flock of dodos. Something about helping them prepare for doomsday they called "Ice Age".

Adah was still feeling a little weird being around Ellie when her kind considered the mammoth as a main course. The more Ellie talked however, the less uncomfortable she was feeling. Ben embraced the entire situation with enthusiasm, and Adah decided to try and follow his example even if she wasn't as gung-ho as Ben was about it. The group seemed harmless enough and didn't mind the cub's company, and Ellie obviously welcomed the grey saber's. Adah sat on her hindquarters and looked at Ellie, smiling slightly, it has been a while since she talked to another female despite them being another species all together.

"I didn't get to ask you for your name!" Ellie said.

"My name?" she asked. Ellie's eyes lit up at her attempt to converse, and she nodded happily. "My name is Adah."

"Nice to meet you, Adah!"

* * *

Mammoth, sloth, and tiger stood together watching what went on around them. Ahead, was Ellie who seemed to be enjoying the company of the female tiger as both started to converse more and more. Manny was out of ear shot but from what he could see, Ellie was enjoying herself. On their other side came shouts and cries, but none of distress. Eddie and Crash scurried about the tall grass once more as Ben pounced around trying to find his targets. Sid kept out of the game this time, but had no trouble shouting and coaching the cub on where to pounce next.

Manny was the only one to find this situation rather uncomfortable, despite the fact he traveled with a predator. He was a neurotic-like mammoth, who was quite happy with his herd, and didn't want anything potentially dangerous near them.

"So you four just ran into this Ben-kid?" Manny asked, skeptical. Sid stopped his coaching and looked back to his friend.

"Yep! He really scared us for a minute there."

"I can imagine."

"C'mon Manny!" Sid slapped his friend on the leg causing Manny to frown. "You're not mad are you?"

"I'm just on edge, that's all" he replied.

"Ellie was right, you really need to relax. OW!" Sid was thunked on the head with Manny's trunk and was knocked onto his bottom. He rubbed his head and squinted up at the mammoth. "What was that for?"

"Nothing. It helps me to relax, though." Manny didn't try very hard to hide his smirk, and Diego snickered at Sid's expense.

"Fine, then." The sloth stood up and dusted off. "How about we get the 'fur'-one-one on this little guy."

"Sid, for once, you have a good idea." said Diego. Manny nodded in agreement, getting a little more background information on the two strangers would put all their minds at ease. All they knew was their pack was missing.

"Hey, Ben!" Sid called. The cub and possums halted their game and looked back to see Sid waving them over. Crash and Eddie looked at one another then to Ben who shrugged and did was he was told.

"Whats the big idea, Sid? We were having fun!" Crash whined.

"We wanted to ask your friend a few questions." Manny said. Ben grew a little nervous and the brothers jumped on his back and gave their friend a reassuring pat on his head.

"It's okay! Diego and Manny always look scary-OW!" Sid was hit again by Manny's trunk and he rubbed his head while grinning stupidly. "They're also very violent."

For the moment, the mammoth decided to ignore the sloth, and looked down on Ben. "So where are you from kid?"

"Uh, I came from a pack." Ben looked at him as if the answer was obvious. Manny closed his eyes and rubbed his head with his trunk.

"Okay. Okay, let me rephrase that. Where is your pack from? How did you get separated from them?" Manny spoke slowly as if Ben would find it hard to follow. Diego grinned, trying to hold back a chuckle.

"C'mon, Manny, the kid isn't stupid." He paused and looked at Ben, still grinning. "Then again, he did get stuck in that tree."

"That was your fault!" Ben pouted. Diego noted this kid was beginning to sound a lot like his female companion. The cub ignored the older tiger and looked at Manny. "We travel a lot."

"You sure they didn't decide to ditch you?" Diego teased. Ben's ears lowered, and Crash and Eddie growled at Diego though they didn't look very threatening.

Again Ben did his best to ignore him, while answering Manny's question. "Our pack had some trouble with wolves. A group was brave enough to try and scatter us. We're a big group, but one or two...namely Adah and I, got separated and here we are."

"Are you sure they haven't been tracking you down?" Manny asked.

"I don't think so." Diego cut in. "After the flood, there's not doubt it washed away all their tracks."

"So what do you plan to do?" Sid asked.

Manny glanced down at Sid. He had a hunch that the sloth would try and invite them to travel with the group, and back then Manfred would have found it annoying. Ben wasn't stupid, but Manny knew this kid wasn't at all like Diego; skilled and capable to take care of himself. The mammoth felt a little sympathy for Ben and Adah, but part of him wanted to leave because if his pack was anything like theirs, they would be looking for them.

"We're heading north." came Ben's answer which made Manny's eyes widen a bit. Sid was about to mention it was the same direction they were traveling but he was suddenly muffled by a furry trunk. Ben blinked, not sure what to make of it, and continued. "Far north. I was hoping to find family somewhere along the way."

Sid wrestled with Manny's trunk and Manny pulled away. "Family, huh? You expecting to find them or are you just guessing?"

"Well, I'm looking for my uncle's pack. Last we heard, he was headed far north near Half-peak. I'm not sure if he'd be there anymore though, but its worth a look, right?"

Diego paused, and glanced at Manny to confirm if they were both having the same hunch. Sid being Sid did not have a clue and opened his big mouth.

"Half-peak huh? We traveled there one winter! Long story really, but we ran into a pack of sabers."

"Really?" Ben lightened up, but Sid waved a claw.

"I doubt any would be related to you though! A very mean looking bunch, especially the leader. I mean whoa!"

"Sid." Manny said sternly, trying to signal him to stop with a wave of his trunk, but Sid didn't get it and continued.

"You see, it used to be Diego's pack and they were gonna have Manny and me for lunch! When Manny was cornered, Diego came to save the day! There were claws and teeth everywhere, and when Soto thought he won - BAM! Manny smacked him into a wall and SHOOMP! Down came the icicles."

There was silence then. Manny and Diego watched Ben, anticipating how he would react to Sid's story, afraid it would confirm what they had thought. At first Ben stared as if he had no idea what Sid just explained. Diego held back the urge to sigh in relief, hoping their hunch was put to rest. It was a ridiculous as well as impossible, what were the odds?

"Excuse me..." came Ben's sudden response. He turned to walk away and Crash and Eddie hopped off wanting to respect his wishes, and looked up at the three, confused at what just happened.

"What was that about?" Sid asked. He turned to look at Manny and Diego. "What is something I said?"

"Yes." They both responded, their tones filled with disdain.

"What?"

"Sid! He was heading to half-peak to find a pack. That place is too close to glacier pass and humans, who else in their right mind would be there?" Manny said, speaking slowly again because this time he _was_ talking to a dim-witted animal.

"Well, no one really except-" Sid paused and a look of dread was plastered on his face as he finally put two and two together. He gnawed at his claws and looked up at Manny. "Talk about shoving your foot in your mouth."

"More like your entire leg, Sid. Way to go." Diego growled.

The tiger turned his attention towards Ben as the cub left the area, while mentally trying to sort out what had just happened. Diego didn't believe it, it couldn't be nothing more than a misunderstanding, but the more he looked at Ben, the more he felt an odd sense of familiarity. He had a stocky build, with thick limbs, and he knew as the cub grew he would gain more muscle to his frame. Diego tried to picture him as an adult, and another image of a tiger came to mind with that similar build and coloration. It simply wasn't possible, but the manner Ben had acted in hearing Sid's story only confirmed it, and the revelation hit Diego like a hard blow to the head.

Ben was Soto's kin.

* * *

**A/N: **LYEK WHOA!

Be brutally honest with me...scratch that, don't be brutal, but be honest? XD; I suck at drama, and I'd like to know if that was good or not. I'm happy with Ben's development. He was recently created not long after I saw The Meltdown. Adah is about three or four years in the making after I saw Ice Age, but they make a good duo methinks. It's probably cheesy, but I don't know, I like the idea of Ellie making some gal-pals since shes stuck with a bunch of dudes. It's a girl thing, we need to hang around other girls!

I'm grateful to everyone who took the time to read my fic as well as leave their thoughts in reviews. I should be evil and not update with the next chapter for months on end BUWHAHAH. I'm kidding :B See ya later! X3


	9. Chapter 9: Coming To Terms

**CHAPTER NINE:** "_Coming to Terms_"

The others remained quiet as Ben walked away. Their expressions mingled with shock, surprise, and bafflement. Quickly, Manny's eyes darted back to look at Adah. Her attention was fixed on the conversation with Ellie, though once in a while she would glance to the others. The saber didn't seem to react, she almost appeared to shrug before looking back to Ellie. Manny assumed she must have guessed Ben was hiding somewhere behind the mammoth's large girth.

His brow furrowed, his self-consciousness rising over his "fat hair", but he ignored it angrily. There was no time for that! Sid, and Diego exchanged glances with Manny, unsure what to do, and pretty much shocked over the whole discovery of Ben's relation to Diego's former pack leader. The possums fidgeted, growing uncomfortable in the silence and hopped onto the mammoth's tusks.

"What's going on?" Crash asked, then giving Manny a glare. "What did you guys say to Ben?"

"Don't look at me, it was Sid." Manny said then realizing how he sounded like a child. The possums turned their glare on Sid who gulped.

"I didn't know!" Sid protested. "How were we supposed to know!"

"Know about what?" Eddie asked. "What did you guys say that made him so sad?"

"It's not Sid's fault, entirely," Diego joined in. "He has a big mouth, true, but none of us knew this kid."

"Thank you, Diego." Sid sighed, feeling better someone was partially defending him for his big mistake. Crash and Eddie huffed, their questions still going unanswered.

"What did Sid say to make Ben sad?" Eddie asked once more.

The other three looked at each other again, quietly deciding what to say. Manny nodded, taking the responsibility to speak for them all. None of them talked openly about their journey to return Pinky to his human herd. Animals thought it was odd enough they traveled together, what made them think anyone would believe they partook on this insane journey? It was a personal thing between all three herd members, one which they never told their newest members about. And Manny thought he would never have to tell them because he never saw the need.

"It's a really complicated story, actually." Manny sighed, hesitating now. Sid stepped forward and backed his friend up much to his relief.

"It's how we three met!"

"Really?" the possums became quite interested, their attention focused on them.

"Yeah! You see, I was left behind during one migration and I decided to go on my own, but I ran into a couple of rhinos. I was minding my own business and they decided to pummel me for no good reason!"

Manny fought to urge to say something. He wasn't there when his confrontation with Carl and Frank began but he knew, without a doubt, Sid was the cause of it all.

"And I was running, and running and CRASH! That's when I ran into Manny, here!" Sid nodded.

The mammoth smiled slightly, remembering how annoying Sid was. And though he still continued to be, the sloth managed to get under his tough exterior and was now called friend. Sid continued with the story, with Manny cutting in once and a while to tell the real version of the truth whenever Sid decided to get too dramatic with heroics that never happened. Diego kept silent as the possums listened to how the trio found the human baby and made the journey to Glacier Pass. They talked about the dodos, the misadventure in the glacier cave, and the escape from the lava. And how Diego, who, back then, was considered untrusting, had a change of heart and saved their lives by risking his.

"They had me cornered, and Soto had knocked Diego unconscious." Manny was speaking now. He didn't like reminiscing over that particular part of their infamous journey together. "As soon as Soto lunged to make the final blow, Diego jumped out in front and took the hit for me. Before Soto could finish him off, I shoved him into a rock wall and met his end with some rather sharp icicles."

"Wow..." the possums gaped in amazement.

"Yeah, we really thought Diego was a goner. The big softie insisted we leave him behind so we could return the little guy to his herd." Sid sniffled and rubbed his claw across his nose. "Once he was reunited we turned around to head south and there he was!"

Eddie and Crash hung onto each other and sobbed, touched over the entire story. "That's beautiful!"

"Who knew Tiger could be such a nice guy." Crash grinned.

"Don't press your luck," Diego growled.

"He's right, you know," Manny added which made the possums flinch and scramble to the top of the mammoth's head. "Anyway, now you know what happened, and why the kid is so depressed."

"In the end it was Manny's fault!" Sid pointed. He flinched as Manny's trunk threatened to smack him again. "Okay! I was just joking!"

"This isn't the time to joke. Right now someone has to tell the kid." Everyone fell silent, and Manny frowned. "Don't everyone jump up all at once."

"I might as well do it." Diego sighed, but then Sid broke in.

"I'll do it." The sloth said. The others looked at him, surprised.

"You?" Diego quirked an eyebrow. "The kid's small, but he could eat you alive, Sid."

"Thanks for reminding me," he gulped. "Seriously, it was my fault for blurting it out so I'll tell Ben what happened."

"You better hurry then," Diego warned, "Before Adah realizes he's gone."

"We'll be in the cat-house for sure!" Crash added.

* * *

Although Ben had left the group quietly, his mind was in a total clamor. For the sake of his new friends and Adah he did not cause a scene and left to find a place to think. The cub followed the lake shore till he found an outcropping of rocks just along the water's edge. In a bound, Ben mounted the rocks then laid down, his head peering over his paws and staring at his own reflection in the water.

He felt crushed and stunned over what Sid had just said, and wondered if any of it could be true. It had to be...why would they lie to him about it? He felt sad but he couldn't find himself to be angry at any of them, though he still wondered what had happened between them and Soto. He knew he'd have to ask once his mind wasn't in such a jumble of thoughts and emotions. His father taught him a tiger should keep cool and calm in all situations.

Ben didn't know Soto very well, but he was family. The thought of how his father would react upon discovering his brother's death. Afterward, the thought of never finding his pack followed. He and Adah were completely lost now. Their previous plan was pointless. Ben swallowed the lump in his throat, not wanting to think about it anymore. He wanted to cry and find comfort in Adah, but he was afraid that would make matters worse between them and their new found friends. Ben knew he'd have to tell her eventually, but he couldn't think of how.

His nose rankled, suddenly catching scent of something like mold or fungus. As soon as he realized this, a loud rustling noise came from behind him. As Ben looked back he saw Sid stumbling out of the tall grass, waving a claw in greeting and smiling nervously. The cub gave little acknowledgment and turned his head forward, sighing. Sid plodded up beside the cub and sat down.

"Hey, Ben, how are ya doing?" he asked.

"Not too good, actually." Ben replied.

"Yeah..." Sid rubbed the back of his neck realizing how stupid that question was. He feigned a cough, trying to get the cub's attention. "I'm sorry for what I said back there. I mean...wow. There's really nothing we could say, can we?"

"You could tell me what happened." Ben said quietly.

"Sure."

Sid skimmed over the details about the trio meeting, and focused more on what had happened at Half-Peak. He explained how Diego was part of Soto's pack and they planned to take the baby, then decided on taking Manny and Sid as a main course and side dish.

"All we can really say is we're sorry. It's not like we WANTED to fight or anything." He sighed and scratched at his head. "I don't know how you saw your uncle, but we were just trying to keep alive..."

As Sid explained the final bits on Soto's death he watched Ben intently, looking for any reactions to what was just said. He didn't recoil in horror, he didn't lash out in anger, he didn't flee. It was none of the wild responses Sid was afraid of, and he leaned in a bit closer to make sure he didn't kill the cub with shock.

"Uh...Ben?"

"Thanks, Sid." he finally said. Sid drew back and blinked.

"Thanks?"

"Yeah, for telling me what happened."

"You're not mad?" Sid gaped "You're not gonna eat me?"

"No." Ben shook his head. "I'm sad though. What are we gonna do?"

"What do you mean?"

"I was sure if we found my uncle he'd know where my dad would be, but now hes gone too. I'm beginning to think we'll never find our family."

"I lost my family too." Sid replied sympathetically, and Ben looked at him curiously. "Yep, but I found a new family! And Diego used to be part of Soto's pack, and he's with a new one...which is us, and you're hanging out with us now, right?"

Ben didn't say anything, completely oblivious to Sid's invitation to join the herd. The sloth smiled and ruffled the fur on the cub's head with a claw and stood up.

"Let's go back. Everyone is gonna think you ate me!"

"Okay." Ben chuckled softly.

* * *

"What's taking him so long?" Manny asked out loud.

"D'you think Ben ate him?" Eddie gulped, clutching at his throat. His brother stood beside him and shivered in response. Manny didn't hesitate this time and attempted to knock the possums off his tusks with his trunk. The two both yelped and dove off before they got hit.

"He wasn't eaten." the mammoth grumbled. He was beginning to grow annoyed at the amount of time that had been wasted here. A lot of ground could have been covered but somehow they ended up being the babysitters of a cub while Ellie went off to have girl talk. _Okay,_ he thought to himself, _that's not really fair to Ellie, is it? _She was the only female of their herd and perhaps she wanted some female company, he didn't know. He was horrible with topics concerning the fairer sex. Manfred was still amazed Ellie decided to stay with him.

Why was he in such a rush to move on anyway? They had no particular place to be, and everyone else seemed content where they were at the moment. And obviously the tigers were not heading north, Manny noted, as morbid as it seemed considering the reason. He sighed to himself and quietly gave in; there was no rush to move on. Right now his two concerns were getting Sid back in one piece and finding a place for the herd to bed down before daylight was gone.

Diego's ears twitched and Manny heard the noise as well. Both looked to see Sid returning with Ben along side. Crash and Eddie shouted in glee, relieved their tiger friend was back and that he didn't eat their sloth friend. Sid headed to his two buddies as the other three began to play.

"I take it everything is alright now?" Manny asked.

Sid nodded. "Yep!"

There was more noise but it came from behind, and when the trio turned to look they saw Ellie walking up. Manny looked behind her to spot Adah who still kept a reasonable distance from the others.

"Hey guys!" the shemmoth waved with her trunk.

Manny nodded to her. "Have fun?"

"Oh yeah, she's really nice! She told me a lot about her and Ben, and what they were doing." she paused and looked at Diego. "She had a few things to say about you, too."

"What?" he felt Sid elbowing him and he looked over to see the sloth wearing a smug grin which made him annoyed. There was no way he could ask the question without the others getting the wrong idea. He sighed and gave in to curiosity. "What did she say?"

"She told me how you helped Ben, and told me about this morning. Something about stealing her breakfast." Ellie trailed off, muttering to herself to remember.

"I did not steal it." he corrected.

Ellie ignored him and continued. "Oh! And she said you made fun of her size."

"Your case in point?" Diego asked then shrugged, "So I said something along those lines. She's got a small figure, big deal. You'd think a female would take it as a compliment."

"Ooooo so you _were _hitting on her." Sid chimed in. Diego's ears laid flat against his head and he loomed over the sloth, glaring at him.

"Care to say that again?"

"Easy there, tiger." he laughed nervously. Diego drew back, feeling Sid had gotten the message. "She cant resist you buddy! Ya got animal magnetism!"

Or not.

Then he started to sing_, "You make me loose, I want ya, that's all I do!"_

"Sid!" Diego snarled and prepared to do something rather violent to him until Manny stepped up trying to block them.

"Okay, I'm separating you two right now." he said. Manny didn't show it, but he was amused watching Diego being teased this time around. He turned to Ellie before the tiger realized he was enjoying the scene. "Ellie, you should get the kid back to his friend."

She nodded, and walked past them towards Ben and her two brothers. Manny watched for a moment and looked down at Sid and Diego. The tiger growled as Sid continued on singing.

"Sid, don't make me smack you." he said, "I enjoy a good joke now and then, but your singing is horrible."

The sloth shut his mouth and stood there quietly. Ellie headed back to the trio with her two brothers hitching a ride on her back. Beside her was Ben who stopped in front of the others.

"Thanks for letting me hang out." he said.

"Sure thing! Don't be a stranger, cutie." Ellie smiled.

The cub was quiet, no doubt still upset over what he discovered but no one pressed the subject any further, lest they gain Ellie and Adah's attention. Manny gave the barest hint of a nod to Ben, while Diego said nothing. Sid, Ellie, and the possums waved to Ben as he left the group and returned to Adah's side. The saber greeted the cub with an affectionate lick on his head.

Manny sighed, partly relieved all of that was over with, and he turned to walk on. "That was a fun day" he said with little enthusiasm.

"Aw, come on, big guy." Ellie shouldered against him slightly. "I thought it was fun."

"Remember, Ellie," Sid waddled up beside her, "The word fun isn't in Manny's vocabulary. You gotta fill in that gap for him!"

"Don't make me come over there, Sid." Manny threatened, waving his trunk.

Diego shook his head as he listened to his friends bicker. Before he started after them he paused, one ear swiveling to the sounds behind him. His inner voice growled at him not to look back over his shoulder and ignore what Sid had said earlier. However, sheer curiosity overran him like it would a cub and he glanced over one shoulder.

Ben was speaking to Adah, his voice was too soft for him to hear, but Diego had a feeling what it was about. His expression was still solemn as Adah's own expression looked on with concern. The cub walked ahead of Adah, leaving the grey saber alone for a moment. Before Diego could react, her head turned and her eyes locked on him.

Almost simultaneously the two jerked their heads back, looking away. Adah marched after Ben rather quickly while Diego went after the herd. He shook his head trying to ignore the sudden heat growing under his fur.

_Smooth, Diego, real smooth._

* * *

**A/N**: Thanks for all the reviews for my last chapter, that was most appreciated

I'm giving everyone a heads up that I may not be able to update with the next chapter for a while, on account that family will be visiting and things will be very busy. I'm not sure how long I'll be gone, but I'll be sure to update when I can. I'm several chapters ahead already, and I have no plans of quitting!

Again, thanks again for your lovely comments and pointers, and see ya around!


	10. Chapter 10: Instincts

**CHAPTER TEN:** "_Instincts_"

A couple of days passed since their encounter with the two tigers. The terrain began to change the further north they traveled. Tall grass was beginning to vanish, the land now favoring greener foliage, and trees were becoming quite frequent. Ever since they left the valley, the glacier walls fanned out, vanishing beyond the horizon, making the new area look vast. Along the way they spotted several glacier wall formations, but none giving the sense of protection and enclosure. The main reason the herd traveled was to find a suitable, and safer place to call home. The sooner the better. Manny hated being out in wide open spaces, an animal of his stature made him stick out like a sore thumb.

And yet here he was, traveling with the most strangest herd in the land. Correction; the world.

The herd's pace was slow upon the request of Ellie, Sid, and the possums who hoped for another encounter with their new friends. Neither Ben nor Adah were spotted unfortunately, and the further they traveled north, they feared they would never run into them again. Manny was the one who didn't think too much on it. If the tigers had another agenda then who were they to stop them? Eddie and Crash would sometimes whine over the absence of their new playmate, and then turn to Sid for means of entertainment. That often ended with Sid's head stuck in a possum hole or getting mashed with mud balls.

Like always, Ellie was the referee for her brothers and happened to put them on time out more often than not. Like Crash and Eddie, she was wondering about their new friends. Being around another female was rather refreshing considering she traveled with a group entirely consisting of males. It was just as awkward for the trio to have a female in their midst, especially for Manny since the female was with him now.

The two mammoths have slowly grown attached to one another day by day. Ellie's vibrant and playful nature was a perfect contrast to Manny's quiet, if slightly neurotic personality. Manny was still shy and awkward when it came to gestures of affection, but Ellie only smiled with gentle amusement. In the mornings before the others awoke, they would walk together. It was a chance to enjoy each others company without the teasing of the possum brothers and Sid's embarrassing comments and advice.

During those walks Manny had a chance to explain to Ellie the story of what brought the trio together, and he told her about it's connection with Ben. She took it in quietly, looking rather concerned, but only nodded in response telling him she was fine with it. Though Ellie was saddened some, guessing it was the reason they have not spotted their tiger friends lately. In return she told him her story; how she was founded by her possum family, and growing up with Eddie and Crash. He still found it odd how she considered herself a possum when she was obviously so different. Ellie simply told him it was who she was on the inside that really mattered. She was raised a possum, and it was all she knew. He respected that, but he was also glad she was eager to learn about her mammoth side too.

While the lovebirds were being...well, lovebirds, Sid found company in Eddie and Crash. Diego as well, but the possums couldn't hurt him as badly as the tiger could. The sloth was the butt of all their jokes but had extreme resilience to whatever they dished out, as well as a sense of humor. He showed off his fungus coating which allowed him to camouflage with the dirt and the brothers found that to be absolutely amazing. The possums also taught Sid how to muck in the mud, which Manny and Diego objected to due to the pungent smell he accumulated from doing so.

And for the past few days Sid managed to keep his teasing of Manny down to a minimum. Time with Ellie was an important thing for Manny and the sloth knew that. It was only after Manny had returned from his walks with Ellie would Sid begin his teasing, and that often ended with the sloth getting hit in the head. Still, Sid took the suffering, knowing Manny was blushing under his fur and that was consolation enough. It was all in good humor, but developing daily concussions was not healthy so recently the sloth had been keeping with the possums.

Diego on the other had been keeping to himself as of late, and though Sid tried to pal around with him, the tiger would keep their conversations short and move ahead to scout. The sloth knew the mood patterns of both his buddies, and normally Diego was the brooding sort (because he's cool like that), but he knew something was different. The saber kept his distance, always keeping ahead of the herd to scout, or trailed behind them at night, saying he was on the lookout for predators. He didn't want the others to know something was bothering him. Sid had a good heart, but he was nosy. And annoying, especially when he believed he outsmarted Diego.

Their last encounter with Ben and Adah sent Diego's senses in a blur. Ben's connection to Soto really surprised him and Diego was unsure how to react to that, if at all. He wondered what Adah thought, and then wondered why he even cared. Soto was dead, and Ben now knew the story behind it. The cub didn't seem hateful, but who knew...he _was_ related to Soto after all. Though he never met Ben or his pack, he remembered Soto mentioning something about a fall back location long ago.

He didn't want to admit it, but despite all the trouble, he found it relieving to see other tigers. Being separated from his own kind turned out to be a good and bad thing all at once. He found true friends after the issue in his previous pack which consisted of sabers who were anything but. However being in the company of his herd there were a few instinctive urges he had to repress. Adah was the cause of one in particular. It had been ages since he ran into another saber, plus she was a female. It irritated him, and so he shoved those primitive thoughts aside and ignored her. Not only that, but she also brought out another emotion in him. During his days in Soto's pack, they had a fair share of encounters with their small cousins during the spring. Aggression was all he knew when it came to the smaller sabers, and he did his best to remain civilized around Adah. The fact Sid had pressed him many times about her drove him insane and he became snappier than usual. They were fast runners, sure, but he found the size of their teeth to be utterly useless and mocked her openly for it too. If Adah wasn't angry for him about that, then she would certainly be spiteful to him for Ben's account.

He felt a slight twinge of jealousy as he watched Manny and Ellie, but he was also happy his friend found someone to relate to. Ellie had the best of both her worlds, having Manny and her brothers which covered her mammoth and possum quirks. And Sid somehow managed to be perfectly content even though he was the only sloth, though he seemed to find soul mates in Crash and Eddie who rivaled the sloth's gross habits. Diego sighed the more he thought about it. He figured he had a lot of things in common with his friends, but there were also many things he did alone. Diego never found that to be a big deal, and even now, he did his best to shrug it off. Ben and Adah were gone, there was nothing he could do about that, and all the better they kept away from him and his herd.

* * *

Scrat kept his small form low to the ground, nose pressed against the dirt and sniffing in the urgent panicked way scrats sniff. He was on the trail of an acorn and he was determined to have it. All winter he worked to hide his nuts so that he could gather them in the spring.

In order to hide them elsewhere for next winter.

Twas the instincts of a Scrat.

The saber-toothed squirrel squeaked as the trail became stronger and he scurried across the field till he reached the muddy pits that had recently formed due to the meltdown. Scrat moaned in annoyance as he looked upon vast mud pits and waddling in them were fat trunkless starts. He shook his head and slapped his face to pep himself up for the trial ahead. Scrat took one step into the mud, then another.

Then he couldn't move.

The squirrel wriggled and jerked his small body around, forcing his legs to move but the mud had a tight grip on his small limbs. He was a squirrel after all and mud was like super glue to something so small. Losing patience, Scrat grumbled and struggled even more to pull himself out. He grabbed at one of his legs and began yanking at it, but then his little claws slipped and his entire body flung back into the mud. Suddenly he was unable to move entirely.

"Hey, look at that!" Two start piglets came into view and looked down on him.

"What is it?" one piglet asked.

"It looks like a rat." said the other.

"It's all muddy!" the girl piglet eyed Scrat. "Are you pretending to be like us?"

"Let's play with him!" the boy piglet cried. Scrat's head wiggled, actually trying to shake his head in protest but the mud limited his movements. Neither piglet listened as one yanked him from the mud by sucking him out with his stubby trunk.

"HEADS UP!" he shouted.

The saber-toothed squirrel cringed as he was lifted out of the mud, but as he opened his eyes he realized he was free! Although he couldn't move still. What was the problem? He looked to see the piglet had a suction hold on him with his trunk. And what was it he yelled?

The piglet took a deep breath and exhaled through his trunk, sending Scrat flying in the air.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The muddy ground drew closer and the squirrel covered his eyes to brace for the impact. Another piglet raised its head, catching Scrat with its trunk. Once Scrat opened his eyes, it was only in time to see he was shot into the air again. He screamed continuously for as long as the starts game continued, shooting the little animal into the air to one another like a twisted version of volleyball. Another piglet caught Scrat and before he could shoot Scrat out, the start began to jerk violently. The squirrel turned his head to look back and realized the piglet was ready to sneeze. His eyes widened, ears drooped, and his lip quivered.

This was going to be a long shot.

"ACHOO!" The force of the sneeze shot Scrat out of the piglet's trunk. He flew past the other starts who looked on with amazement, watching the squirrel zoom over the muddy pits and onto dry ground.

"OMF!" was all Scrat managed, landing head first into the dirt. Limbs flailed about as he pulled himself upright. He paused and felt himself to see if anything vital was missing. No! He was alive! Even better, he was on the other side of the mud pit! Regaining his composure, Scrat picked up the acorn scent once more. He scurried only a few paces till he eek-ed with glee. Just ahead was the acorn nestled snugly in a small patch of grass.

The little rodent rushed to his prized nut and snatched it in his arms. He sighed happily while snuggling against the acorn lovingly. One acorn down, many more to go!

_SPLAT!_

A large boulder rolled on top of Scrat and his acorn. While Scrat was crushed, his acorn defied physics and popped out from underneath the rock and bounced away. The squirrel's head popped out from under the rock and he whimpered, reaching out longingly to his beloved acorn.

Fast Tony dusted off his claws as he finished moving his latest product into a place. He walked around the moss-covered boulder, observing, and thinking up a sales pitch. Business was slow ever since the meltdown ended. There were no crowds, no chaos, no panicked-induced-stupefied animals to sucker into buying his latest products. Then again he didn't have much luck during the big escape from the flood either.

The armadillo walked past the boulder and sat on top of the empty glyptodon armor and waited for passers-by. The empty shell was a the only thing he had of his friend, Stu, and it was now used as his soap box and carrying-case. Though Fast Tony seemed to have little regard to what had happened to his dim-witted friend, keeping Stu's shell around showed the fast-talking critter had _some _heart.

Or he kept it because no one was interested in buying it off him. Your choice.

Fast Tony's spirits suddenly brightened up as he saw a group of animals heading by. They looked like stupid animals, especially the sloth and the possums. He grinned more when he recognized one of them.

"Well, well look who it is!" Fast Tony greeted. Manny frowned at the sight of the annoying sales-animal. "How's it going, my fat, furry friend?"

"Fine, until we ran into you." the mammoth replied. Manny and Diego led the pace for the herd, and it quickened so they could get away from the armadillo as soon as possible. Fast Tony wasn't going to let that happen as he rolled and popped up in front of Ellie, Sid and the possums.

"Hello ma'am! Those are some fine looking tusks! How would you like to really make them shine! Impress your friends, dazzle your boyfriend!"

Ellie blushed at the boyfriend comment, as Manny stopped and looked back. Before he could protest to anything, Fast Tony rushed under the legs of the mammoth and to his glyptodon shell. He tossed out random things he had collected and pulled out a clump of moss. Again, Manny tried to say something but Fast Tony was too fast, and darted back to Ellie.

"Here!" the armadillo used the moss to polished one of her tusks. "Use this twice a day and you'll get a brilliant shine every time! But wait! If you act now, you'll get a special discount! Five polishers for the price of one! AHHH!"

Manfred yanked Fast Tony by the neck with his trunk and held the armadillo up to meet his face.

"Stop bothering her." he said.

"Hey whats this?"

Both animals' gazes looked down and saw Crash and Eddie looking at the boulder. Fast Tony took this chance and slipped out of Manny's grip and rushed beside the two possums.

"That, my friends, is the next revolutionary thing! It's going to change the way we travel as we know it!"

"Yeah," Crash said slowly, "but what is it?"

"It's a wheel ya moron!" the sales-critter shouted. "You plant your tukus right on top and get ready for the ride of your life!"

"COOL!" the possum brothers hopped on top of the rock and sat down on the moss. Everyone watched as if something were supposed to happen. Crash and Eddie sat perfectly still.

"WOOHOO!" Eddie shouted. "Crash, raise your hands in the air!"

"Oy." Manny sighed. Fast Tony only laughed, shrugging.

"It's still got a few kinks in it. Wait! Where are you going?"

"Far away." Manny replied, walking off. The others began to follow but Fast Tony jumped in front of them.

"I got a lot of things I could show ya!" He rolled up and bounced back to the glyptodon shell, yanking out more junk. He pulled out a rather crude piece of bark with pine needles sticking out. "What about this beautiful comb?"

Again Manny continued to lead the herd away, and Fast Tony lifted up the shell and ran in front of the group, planting the shell right in front of them.

"Don't make me get the tiger to eat you, Tony" the mammoth threatened. Diego smirked evilly at Fast Tony who only dug into the shell again. He yanked out a thin slab of rock.

"How about this tooth-filer?" he told Diego "Predators always got to keep in top shape!"

"Come within two feet near me with that thing and you're sales-days are over, pal." the tiger growled. Fast Tony tossed the rock aside and flung his entire self onto Manny's furry leg.

"C'mon! I'm desperate! Business has been slow!" He looked up at the mammoth who's glare somehow became more menacing. He stuttered, trying to think of something to convince them. "My mother is sick! I've got a family of six - NO! Ten children! It's up to me to provide for the family!"

"This coming from the guy I said would sell his mother for a grape?" Manny raised a brow.

Tony lifted his head, and looked up, expectant. "You still up on that offer?"

"Get off me!" Manny shouted and flung the armadillo off his leg. Fast Tony rolled back a bit before coming to a stop.

"Get off him!" came another voice. Manny looked at Tony who wore an equally confused expression. He looked to Diego, then back to Ellie and Sid who both shrugged. "I said get off! Shoo!"

The group turned around to where Tony's boulder was planted. Crash and Eddie were still sitting atop it and shouting to them was a reddish-colored female sloth. She reached out a claw and waved them off and the two possums hopped down and ran to their sister. Fast Tony rushed past the group flailing his arms at the sloth.

"Ma'am! That's private property!"

"You're the thief!" the sloth accused.

The herd only exchanged even more startled glances to one another, completely lost to what was going on. The only one who was even more oblivious to what was going on was Sid, who dared to venture inside the Glyptodon shell. Those clumps of moss looked awfully tasty.

"You stole him!" the female sloth clung to the boulder.

"Lady, you hug it, you bought it." Fast Tony replied.

"Whats with all the shouting?" Sid asked. He found several clumps of moss and horded them all in his arms. He walked up between Diego and Manny, glancing up to them and waiting for an answer. All of his friends were taking in the weird scene that was unfolding ahead of them. "Guys?"

"My poor Sidney!" the female sloth sobbed, still hugging the rock. "It's okay, mommy will never let you out of her sight again!"

"MOM!" Upon looking at the sloth who hugged the rock, Sid choked on the moss he was eating. Diego's and Manny's jaws dropped to the ground and both gaped at Sid.

"_MOM?_"

* * *

**A/N**: I'm glad I had some time to upload this chapter before things got really chaotic over here! And I thought it would be nice to upload on the first of the new month. So long August, I'll miss thee!

I think this is my favorite chapter out of them all! Fun cameos, random silly-ness, and character development. Yeah, all of those are good :B I felt that Fast Tony needed a scene because he's awesome and I made sure Scrat had a bigger scene this time. I feel bad for tormenting him XD

I still can't thank everyone enough for all the reviews! I'm glad people are enjoying this fic ! See you all later and I'll upload the next chapter when things settle down over here!


	11. Chapter 11: Slothapalooza

**CHAPTER 11**: "_Sloth-a-palooza_"

"MOM!" Sid choked.

"_MOM?_" Manny and Diego exclaimed simultaneously. Everyone stared at Sid then to the female sloth who continued to hug onto the boulder.

"Yes, Sidney?" the female answered, believing it was the rock who spoke.

Diego nodded. "Oh yeah, that's Sid's mother alright."

Sid dropped the clumps of moss he was carrying and waddled over to the other sloth. His claws gripped her by the shoulders and he shook her gently.

"Mom! Ma, its me! _I'm _Sidney!"

"What?" the other sloth blinked and released her hugging grip on the boulder. She looked at the sloth before her and a few moments her eyes widened in shock. "Sidney! It IS you!"

She turned back and looked at the rock, and then shoved it. The boulder rolled off sending Fast Tony into a panic and he began running after it.

"How dare you impersonate my son! You...you...faker!" she rebuked the boulder who...said nothing, being a rock and all. The red sloth turned around and threw her arms around Sid's neck and began sobbing. "I'm so glad you're alright!"

"There, there. It's okay, ma." Sid hugged her, patting her back comfortingly. She pulled away, rubbing her claw across her nose making loud sniffling noises. Sid looked back and saw his herd walking up to them. "Ma, I want you to meet my friends! This is Manny, Diego, Ellie, Crash, and Eddie. They're my herd! Guys, this is my mom, her name is Rose."

"Hello!" Ellie smiled. Rose's sniffling calmed down and smiled up at the shemmoth. Diego and Manny nodded in greeting and she stared at them, particularly Manny.

"Sweetie," Rose leaned in to whisper to Sid, "You have strange looking friends. Especially that big one, he's awfully fat for a sloth."

"No, no, no, Ma, they're not sloths. Manny's a-" Sid was cut off as his mother waddled up to Manny in order to look at him closely. The mammoth casted a nervous glance to the side before looking down at her.

"Thank you for watching over my Sidney." Rose finally spoke. She took his trunk in her claws and shook it vigorously. Manny winced in some disgust as he saw her wiping her nose earlier, but he tried to be polite and forced a smile. "I always told Sidney to go on a diet! However, seeing how large you are, I'm not too worried about his health now."

"Ahaha, she's real sweet isn't she?" Sid grinned nervously, pulling her away from Manny. Rose stepped away to look at the other members of her son's group while Sid whispered to Manny. "She has bad eyesight, actually. And bad hearing, and a bad sense of smell."

"Amazing she's survived this long." Manny said.

Sid shrugged. "Yeah, well, I'm glad for it."

"Oh, Sidney I missed you too!" Rose flung her arms around Sid's neck again.

Diego walked over and sat beside the mammoth. "I thought you said your family abandoned you, Sid."

"I thought they did!" he managed to pull his mother off him again. "Mom, what happened?"

"Hm? OH! You mean the rock." she folded her arms together and tapped her foot. "Zak and Marshall presented it to me. They said it was you having a sick day."

"And you believed them?" Manny asked, knowing he really shouldn't ask considering this was Sid's family.

Rose nodded. "I carried that rock this entire time, thinking one day my son would get better!"

"That's so sweet!" the possum brothers sniffled. Ellie comforted them by patting them gently with her trunk. Ellie, like Manny, tried to be polite as well. She knew she must have looked eccentric to the trio when she believed she was a possum, but Rose's story took the prize.

"What about that time you left me behind during the migration south?" Sid asked.

"Zak and Marshall said you were going to wait for Sylvia."

"What about the time you all barricaded the cave door. Someone tied my hands and feet and gagged me with a field mouse! And when I got out, you all went to water and I lost your scent!"

"Zak and Marshall said you were hibernating, and then they suggested we go swimming. It was a nice day for swimming, too."

"The time I was stuffed into the beehive?"

"They said you were making friends with bears."

"Buried alive?"

"Converted to Termite-ism."

The herd kept glancing back and forth between Sid and Rose as he asked questions and she gave answers. Ellie sighed and shook her head.

"You know, I'm beginning to think this Zak and Marshall aren't very nice sloths." she said.

Rose nodded in agreement. "I'm beginning to have my doubts too!"

"Who are they anyway?" Manny asked.

"My two older brothers." Sid replied. He shook his head. " Wait, where is everyone, Ma? Why are you by yourself?"

"I was looking for you Sidney! That awful armadillo took you away!" Rose paused for a moment then laughed. "I guess in the end I really did find you! And the rest of the family is back at our resting spot."

"Everyone? Really?"

"No. Zak and Marshall struck out on their own. I think one of them ended up with Sylvia. What a shame, Sidney, she was a nice girl."

"Ahaha...yeah." Sid turned his head so his mother wouldn't see him make the gagging expression at the thought of the odd female sloth. He turned upright again and looked at his friends. "Uh...guys, would it be okay if-"

"Go ahead, Sid." Manny smiled softly, knowing what Sid wanted to ask. "We'll find a spot to rest and wait for you."

His friend's expression lit up, his eyes showing gratitude. Sid turned to his mother, took her claw and began to waddle off. "Let's go surprise the family, ma!"

"They'll be so happy to see you again, Sidney!"

"I like her." Ellie smiled as the group watched the two sloths leave. The possums nodded in agreement and Diego couldn't help but chuckle as he shook his head.

"You know, I think Sid got the brains in that family." he said, looking up to Manny.

"That's a disturbing thought." the mammoth replied. He stood still for a moment before realizing Fast Tony could come back any minute once he retrieved the "fake Sid". Manny faced the others and gained the herd's attention. "Alright, lets go find a spot to rest. Its already going to be midday, so why don't we stop for lunch."

"Sounds good to me!" Crash nodded.

"Yeah, my feet hurt." Eddie said. Ellie lightly shoved him off her tusk with her trunk. "What was that for?"

"I'm the one who's doing all the walking for the three of us!" she followed after Manny as Eddie reached out for her dramatically.

"Ellie! Don't leave me! OW! Hey!" Eddie rubbed his head as Crash scurried by him slapping him upside the head as he passed. The other possum grinned and chased after his brother while following the two mammoths.

"If you're going to get something to eat, I think I'll do the same." Diego said to Manny. His friend nodded.

"Okay then. You can find us when your done, Mr. Uber-tracker." The mammoth noted. Diego smirked and separated from the herd and headed off in another direction.

As soon as the area was clear, a small hand reached out from the hole the boulder/fake Sid created. Scrat grunted as he slowly pulled himself out, popping his neck and groaning in relief. With a start, he squeaked and sniffed around nervously for any trace of his precious nut. The hunt was on once again!

* * *

Rose brought Sid to the spot she said the family was residing at. As they walked, he briefed his mother in on what he was doing since they last saw each other. His mother listened quietly, nodding once in a while, and even though he finished his story, Rose still believed his friends were very strange looking sloths. He sighed, smiling at his mother as they waddled on. Even before his fateful separation with his family, he remembered his mother to be on the slow-side, but with her bad senses, Sid really couldn't blame her. He began to ponder about the rest of his family, and Sid felt himself grinning. He was always somewhat of an attention-hog, and with Zak and Marshall gone, so was most of the competition for his mother's love.

The new family spot was in a location littered with petrified trees, though they didn't provide much cover due to the lack of leaves and foliage. However the trees still retained their branches and that was perfect for sloths. The two waddled through the trees and out to a clearing where there was a fallen tree sporting a giant crack in it's middle. Once they drew nearer to the trunk, a head peeked out from the other side.

"Mom?"

"Bernie!" Rose called, opening her arms. "Momma's home!"

"YAY!" There were sounds of scratching and clawing against stone; someone trying to climb over the large trunk but with no success apparently. There was silence for a moment, and suddenly a little blue sloth appeared as he decided to waddle around the entire trunk and ran into Rose's arms.

Bernie snuggled up against his mother but stopped once he looked at Sid. Sid smiled and waved casually as if he were never gone to begin with. The smaller sloth wriggled in his mother's grip, breaking free, and tackled his big brother.

"SID!" he shouted "You're all better!"

"No, honey," Rose spoke, picking up her small son in her arms. "Sid was never sick to begin with!"

"He wasn't? How come he never moved all that time?" Bernie asked.

"That wasn't Sid," she explained about the rock, "When I was looking, I ran into the _real_ Sid!"

"Wow." the little one gaped. He looked at Sid and his lip quivered. Before Rose or Sid could say anything, the little sloth leaped out of his mother's arms and clung to his brother's neck. "I MISSED YOU!"

"ACK!" Sid gulped several times. Bernie's grip was choking off his air supply. He tapped his head with one claw. "Bernie...can't...breathe."

His mother and brother seemed oblivious to the dilemma and continued talking. "Bernie, where are the others?"

"Oh I was playing hide-in-seek, and Uncle Fungus went out to look for some food."

"Well, well," came another voice. The three sloths looked in the direction of the source to see another sloth walking into the clearing. "Look who decided to show up."

"Uncle Fungus!" Bernie released his death grip on Sid much to his relief as he keeled over and gasped for air. Bernie waddled around his brother as the elder sloth marched up to Sid and Rose.

"Hi Uncle Fungu-AHHHH!" Sid's greeting was cut off by his own screaming as his uncle reached out for him not with loving arms, but with the intent to strangle his nephew. Rose gasped and tried to get her brother to release her son, but to no avail. Uncle Fungus growled and shook Sid rather violently.

"You idiot! You realize how worried you made your mother!" he shoved Sid away. "She believed that moss-covered rock was you!"

"You knew about that, Uncle Fungus?" Bernie asked.

"Of course I did! But no one would listen to me! Zak and Marshall said I was senile when they were the idiots who brought that stupid rock! Who's the senile old fool now? HAH!"

"It's nice to see you again, Uncle Fungus." Sid spoke in a raspy voice. He rubbed his neck and his uncle only "hmped". For being a sloth, his uncle had a threatening look about him. His fur was dark due to all the fungus growing on him, causing it to form clumps in some places. The rest of his fur was wild and unkempt, and the glare he always had added to the appearance. Sid never knew if Fungus was his real name or just the nickname given due to his appearance.

"I ought to feed you to a pack of sabers for all the worry you caused Rose!" Uncle Fungus continued to rant. Sid flinched; fearing another attack from his uncle but his mother came and intervened. She placed a claw on her brother's arm and looked at him pleadingly.

"Dear brother, it's okay now. Sidney is back and that's what's important, right?"

"I suppose." he huffed; still not satisfied he couldn't beat some sense into his nephew. Sid had an odd feeling Manny and Diego would get along famously with Uncle Fungus. "Where have you been anyway?"

"Sidney's been traveling with an odd group of sloths." Rose explained. Her brother stared at her. She seemed to be taking this all in so well.

"Oh, a weird group of sloths? I see. Haha. That's where he's been all this time?" Uncle Fungus placed his claws on his hips, nodding and smiling in an understanding way. Sid found it to be scary.

And there was good reason.

"_YOU JOINED A GANG?_" Uncle Fungus snapped as he wrapped his claws around Sid's neck once more and continued to strangle him. Rose screamed, trying to pry her brother off while Bernie jumped around excitedly. Sid was tossed about, his tongue hanging out of his mouth in a hapless pathetic way. His uncle growled again and threw him across the clearing. Rose cried out and Bernie shouted in earnest, thinking it was only a game.

Sid slid across the dirt till he finally came to a stop. His mother rushed up beside him, checking her son for any injuries as Bernie shouted to his uncle "Do it again!"

"Bernie?"

The little sloth stopped pestering his uncle for a moment to see who called him. Another sloth stood in front of Sid and Rose. Rose smiled at the other sloth, but all Sid could see at the moment were the sloth's feet.

"I thought we were playing hide-in-seek." the sloth spoke again. Sid groaned, still winded from the impact with the dirt, but he managed to lift his long neck to look at who was talking. Big blue eyes looked down at him, and they blinked several times.

"Ooh, who's this, Rose?"

Rose helped Sid up and dusted him off. "This is Sidney! Sidney, this is Cindy. She's the newest addition to our little family, we found her during one of our migrations south."

"Gaah..." was all Sid could manage, dim-witted and short-winded. As he stared, he found the female sloth quite pretty. Nice, soft looking fur, well groomed too, and dainty looking claws. From the color of her fur, she appeared to be a blond. Nice. Cindy waved at him, smiling wide.

"Sidney? Your mom is always talking about you and your brothers!" she took his claws in hers and shook eagerly. "It's nice to finally meet you!"

He continued to stare at her, a stupid, languid, smile plastered on his face. "Call me Sid."

* * *

**A/N**: Freedom for me! Things are back to normal over here, and so I decided to put up the next chapter :D Lo and behold, more characters whether you love 'em or hate 'em! This is going to be one giant cast, isn't it? XD You know, being the dork that I am, I even picked out possible voices for each character, buwahaha!

Once again, I hope everyone enjoys this enstallment, and don't worry, I haven't forgotten Ben and Adah. I like to do my best and scan over each character if possible. I can't be biased XO...actually I could :rubs chin: Anywho, I'll give out a small hint and say they make their return appearance in the next chapter. All is well!

Later everyone!


	12. Chapter 12: Kind Friends

**CHAPTER TWELVE:** "_Kind Friends_"

It was now midday, the sun was at its highest and shadows were scarce. Spring in the Ice Age was not blistering hot, but animals still found the warmer climate uncomfortable. The sloth family who made their home within the stone forest found a shady retreat under a large rock. They lounged while Sid explained what he had been doing since the day he vanished.

Rose and his little brother, Bernie were very enthusiastic about his return, and enthralled by his story of his first meeting Manny and Diego, and the journey to return the human baby. Though Uncle Fungus had his doubts, the fact that he was alive proved that Sid must be hanging around with _something _which tolerated him enough. He had a hard time believing a tiger named Diego was traveling with him, and he gave up all hope in sorting things out once Ellie, and her "possum brothers" were introduced.

Sid had also taken an immediate interest in the newest female member, Cindy, and did his best to impress her with his stories about the herd. Cindy was gracious, and quite curious to know more of the missing son Rose always told her about. She never flinched, or drew back in revulsion at the very sight of him, and Sid found that to be a very good sign.

"So after I helped Manny get together with Ellie, we decided to come to this side of the valley! I did mention I was the one who formed it, right?"

"Yep!" Cindy nodded.

"About seventeen times..." Uncle Fungus grumbled, lingering in the back of the group while listening to Sid's tale. "You expect us to believe that you've been traveling with a mammoth and a tiger all this time?"

"It's true, Uncle Fungus!" Sid cried out.

"I think I'd rather stick to the gang-of-sloths story."

"I like Sid's story, Uncle Fungus!" Bernie added.

"It's not just a story! It really happened." Sid protested again. Rose smiled at her son sympathetically as Cindy giggled. Sid frowned a bit, not understanding why they couldn't believe him.

"I'll believe it when I see it," said his uncle.

"Fine." he stuck his tongue out. "Next time I'll bring you to see them."

"Next time?" Cindy blinked, "You mean you're not going to stay here?"

"It's my herd," Sid replied. He stood up and tried to look mighty and impressive by sucking in his gut. "They need me."

"Aw, how noble of you!" she clasped her claws together and looked at him in admiration.

"The only reason they would need you is to catch a disease." Uncle Fungus added. Sid let his breath go and his gut fell back out to its round shape.

Bernie and Cindy chuckled, and all Sid could do was smile, embarrassed of himself. He sat back down beside his little brother and Cindy and decided it would be best to change the subject.

"So, what brings you this far north?" he asked.

"We've been trying to find our old home." Rose spoke, "You remember, don't you Sidney? The cave with the spring."

"You can't find good housing like that nowadays." her brother added and Rose nodded in agreement.

"It's been slow traveling. The closer we've been getting to the forest, the more predators have been appearing." at the mention of predators, Bernie got up and clung to his mother. She patted his back comfortingly. "Wolves seem to inhabit this area now."

"Wolves?" Sid gulped. Cindy nodded gravely.

"They weren't here last spring." she said. "We only travel a mile or two then spend the rest of the day hiding in the trees. Every once in a while we spot a couple wandering around."

"Feh," Uncle Fungus spat, "Mangy mutts! Back when I was a young sloth, predators knew their place! Tigers lived in the open fields and wolves lived in the mountains!"

"Things are changing, brother." Rose added sadly, "After the Meltdown it seems like a lot of crazy things have happened."

"True, like finding Sid here." he added. Sid smiled at the compliment but it didn't last long. "I'm surprised you lasted two days on your own."

"Don't say that, Uncle Fungus!" Cindy pouted.

"That reminds me." Sid began as he stared at Cindy. "How did you run into my family?"

"Oh that's simple! During one migration I lost my own family because I had to take a longer route." she replied.

"Why would you need to do that?"

"I ran into some aardvarks and they said a sloth was asking for a toll by a petrified tree. I didn't have any food to offer and no time to forage so I decided to take the long way." Cindy huffed, "Isn't that silly? Who asks for a toll during migration?"

Sid was beginning to sweat bullets and tried his best not to look guilty. "Ahah yeah! That's just ridiculous! Ridiculous, I say!"

Cindy started again, this time staring at Sid as she smiled. "I'll take it as a good sign though. I wouldn't have met your family. Besides, I'm glad I could finally meet you!"

"Really? Meet me?" he blinked.

"Yeah, Rose told me all about you and your brothers."

"Zak and Marshall, huh?" Sid rubbed his chin, contemplating. He craned his neck a little closer to her while titling his head. "Which one do you like best out of the three?"

Cindy rubbed the length of her neck and thought it over. "I don't know, you're the only one I've met so far, and I already like you!"

"As in _like_ me?" Sid suggested, but Cindy didn't understand where he was coming at, and before Sid could pursue the matter further, Uncle Fungus smacked him in the back of his head. "OW! It was only a question! A harmless little question!"

Cindy giggled, Bernie joining in with his own chuckling as their uncle only hmph-ed. Sid smiled, showing off his crooked buckteeth, and reflexively rubbing where his uncle had hit him earning more laughter from his little brother. Sid ruffled Bernie's tuft of fur sticking from the top of his head, still smiling. Bernie tackled him, shouting as he did so and the two scuffled around while Cindy watched, who gasped at first, but quickly realized it was a harmless game.

Even though Sid was the elder brother, he lost his match to Bernie. Whether he allowed the smaller sloth to win purposely or not was unknown (but you can bet Sid lost cuz...it's Sid) He flopped on the ground, trying to catch his breath while Bernie hopped around him before running to Cindy and his mother, all wound up to play more. Sid managed to sit up, smiling wide as he watched them. The sloth was still taking in the shock that he found his family (most of them anyway) safe and sound. He never figured he'd ever find them again, but he was very glad they were safe and sound, and most importantly, they never tried to abandon him intentionally (excluding his two brothers).

"Why don't we go and find some lunch?" Rose suggested, sending Bernie into an even bigger state of excitement.

"Yeah food!" Bernie shouted and waddled off, leading the way. Uncle Fungus went after him to keep an eye on the young sloth while Rose waited for Sid and Cindy.

"C'mon, Sidney!" Cindy smiled, pulling him up by his arm. "I hope you like dandelions!"

"Do I!" Sid exclaimed, quickly rising to his feet. He followed after the female, taking the liberty to admire her well-groomed pelt. She was so friendly, which threw him by surprise. She was not like other females he had met who usually slapped him on sight. Yes, things were looking up.

_Sid, my friend, this might be the start of a beautiful friendship._

Of course the sloth wasn't too keen on planning things ahead. Sid had no real ideas of courtship, and he was horrible at flirting. He knew Manny and Diego would be laughing till their sides burst if they could see him attempting to woo a nice gal like Cindy.

"So, do you like fungus?" He asked her. Uncle Fungus sighed, slapping his claw against the flat of his head. Rose only smiled knowingly, watching the two talk together.

* * *

Diego growled; hot, and annoyed over the amount of bad luck he had in finding a meal. All the animals hid during mid-day, looking for shade. And the further north the herd traveled the more cover the land provided for his possible meals. Not to mention the lack of camouflage it offered him. The tall, sandy grass thinned out into patches of green, shorter grass and that made Diego stick out like a sore thumb. He thought about skipping this meal, but that would mean dealing with a sour mood and the antics of the two possums, and Sid, if he's already returned from his little family reunion.

The thought of Sid finding more sloths made Diego feel even more out-casted than he was already feeling. Why did it bother him so much? He didn't admit this openly, but he knew tigers were social animals which is why they traveled in packs. That need was full-filled through his herd, he had friends, but they were not tigers. They were not meat-eaters, they did not hunt, and they did nothing tigers do. They were herbivores, and that alone defied a tiger's first natural instinct as predator.

Big deal. Diego could live with that. Yet with Manny finding a companion in Ellie, and Sid finding his family, Diego began to feel lonely for some odd reason. He began to wonder if this was how Manny felt when the rumor of him being the last mammoth came about. With Ellie, Manny was able to talk, share, and do things only mammoths could do. Even Sid who, Diego thought would never find someone else to share in his bizarre interest in fungus.

He fought with his thoughts on this entire subject, wanting to drop and leave the whole thing entirely. The tiger began tracking once again to concentrate on something else rather than that. Almost immediately he caught a scent, but it wasn't prey. Ears twitched as he kept a hold of the scent, studying it.

Somehow he knew it belonged to Adah.

Diego kept silent for a long time, his ears still moving from side to side, thinking. He was hunting for a meal, but some part of him nagged to follow this trail. He had no reason to go except what instinct told him. Diego shrugged and figured why not, he could see how the kid was doing since their last meeting. _It's not some justification or anything_, he told himself, _I'm just gonna drop by and then leave._

With that in mind, he walked off in the direction of the scent.

_If Sid ever found out, I'd never hear the end of it._

"We'll rest here." Adah said, stopping under a tree that provided fair shade from the day's heat. Ben stood beside her and quietly nodded. The she-saber was aware of his recent behavior and shouldered him gently. "You've been so docile lately, Ben. Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine." he said and turned away. He felt Adah's rough tongue brush up along the length of his neck. He began purring despite his grim mood. Adah didn't like it when Ben sulked, it wasn't becoming of him. She decided it was probably best to avoid the herd for a while to give Ben some time to think things over. Although she had doubted any chance of finding their pack, she did not want Ben to despair, and who knew? Maybe there was a chance.

Yet Ben was so young, and taking in the concept of two losses simultaneously made Adah fear it would drive him off the deep end. She couldn't shield the cub from all the harsh things in the world, but she did her best to let him know she was by his side

"I know what they said upset you, and it is a very sad thing." she spoke softly. "It's not wrong for you to mourn, but don't let it overcome you."

"I know," Ben sighed, "but what about dad? He'll never know what happened because we'll never find them."

"There's still hope, Ben. We can still head north. It's possible your father knows our plan and hopes to meet us along the way somewhere."

Adah's words echoed Ben's previous plan, and there was a spark that lit his eye, and he smiled, feeling somewhat renewed by her assurance. She nipped at him playfully before finally drawing away. Adah felt Ben nip her back and as she looked back he leapt away from her, trying to entice her into a game. In response she simply yawned, shook off, and settled under the tree.

"Aww c'mon, Adah!" he nudged her. "I want to play!"

"Oh you want to play?" She yanked him down with her paws and put him in a hold. Ben laughed, struggling to get out of her grip. After a few playful bites she released him and he turned on her, trying to wrestle her but the older saber fended him off with little effort. "Okay okay, that's enough, Ben. I'm tired. It's been a long day, and catching breakfast was no easy task."

Ben turned and sat in front of her. "It would be easier if we had the others to help."

"Yeah." she sighed.

"You could always teach me," Ben suggested, "Then I could help!"

"It takes time, Ben. One lesson won't make you an expert hunter, and I would have to skip hunting to help you practice. If you don't eat then you'll become sluggish."

Adah knew he needed to learn, but with no one to help she had to take on all the responsibilities in raising the cub. She recalled when Ben's mother, Nadia, would leave to hunt. Adah was left to care for him, but she had help from her pack-mates. Now she was on her own, and she knew Ben needed the nourishment, but she also feared in leaving him behind. Not only was he mischievous, he was still unskilled, unable to defend himself against countless dangers. Also, he was bold when it came to approaching animals. Other herds would not be so lenient as the one they had met previously, even to a cub. Ben was almost half-grown, but to prey, a predator was a predator.

She yawned again, and lay on her side, the grass feeling cool on her fur. Ben still stood, and Adah let the smallest trace of a smile form. She could see he was growing weary, his head slightly nodding. Adah shut her eyes. "Try and rest, Ben."

Ben sneezed as a lacy-winged bug fluttered across his nose. He stifled a yawn and shook his head, jostling himself awake. The mild heat made him drowsy, but he was determined to stay awake. Adah had already fallen prey to the lazy afternoon and was sleeping soundly under the tree they settled under. The cub refused to take a nap even when his mother always made him do so against his will. Now being sleepy on his own only told him his mother was right all along, and he didn't want to accept the fact naps were good or fun.

His mind wandered, mostly thinking of what to do to keep himself entertained and awake, but soon his thoughts fell on Adah as he watched her doze. She was so different and so similar to his other pack-mates, and during her stay there she earned the respect of the others. His eyes then examined her spots which splotched her coat; it was the most obvious thing which set her apart. Ben always loved her coat; so different and strange, and beautiful. It made it easy to find her when she was in a group. He adored everything about her. The grey saber had practically helped raise him from a nursling cub. A lot of his earliest memories consisted of his mother, father, and Adah, and for the longest time Ben never knew there were others like her till his father spoke of her first arrival. To him, however, Adah would always be special.

Ben yawned again and let his head drop, his chin lightly thudding down on the grass. Without really thinking about it his eyes slowly closed and his breathing slowed as sleep began to take its claim over him. No sooner did his eyes close, his nostrils flared, catching the scent of something. The cub was suddenly drawn back to the world of consciousness and he stood up. He looked out into the fields, ears alert, and eyes scanning the area. His tracking skills were rusty, but he definitely knew the scent of another tiger. Reflexively, Ben looked back at Adah to make sure she was deep asleep. Then he quietly wandered away from their resting spot to investigate this new situation.

* * *

It wasn't long before Diego could see Ben's form in the distance. He watched, and smirked with some amusement as the cub bounded through the grass. He wasn't even aware of Diego's presence yet.

"Hey, kid!" he called out. Ben started, and crouched low to the ground quickly; a cub's defense in hiding against other predators. However he was not a very small cub and Diego could still see his form quite easily. Diego shook his head, his smile widening more. "It's just me."

"Diego?" Ben's head popped up. Diego stopped a few paces ahead and sat down on his haunches.

"How have you been doing, kid?"

"Adah and I have been doing alright." Ben replied and glanced around. "Where's everyone else?"

Diego shook his head. "They're not with me."

"Oh." his frame drooped in disappointment, but then he lifted his head and looked at the other tiger curiously. "What are you doing out here then?"

"Me? Oh, I was hunting and I just happened to be in the neighborhood." He glanced around for a moment, "Where's your friend?"

"Adah? She's sleeping." Ben stiffled a yawn and shook his head again. Diego was relieved and disappointed all at once and he hated it because he wasn't entirely sure why. Ben continued, "Naps are boring, but it's hard to keep awake when Adah's asleep."

The other tiger kept silent for a moment. He debated whether or not he should carry out an idea that had just come to mind. "How about we go and find something to hunt then."

"Really!" Ben's expression lit up and he jumped to all fours, but then he lowered his head and ears; cautious and suddenly afraid. "What if Adah wakes up? She'll be angry if I ran off again."

Diego waved a paw as if to brush that worry aside. "Don't worry about it kid."

Ben was used to sneaking off, but a part of him hesitated. "I've never gone hunting before."

"A kid your age should be learning." He then realized Adah probably didn't have much time to give him lessons.—maybe the occasional pouncing lesson, but never taking him on an actual "expedition". "We'll give her a break and let her sleep, and if she gets mad, just blame the whole thing on me. As of right now, I'll be your teacher."

Ben's expression lit up. "So we're really going?"

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained."

"Woohoo!" The cub shouted. Diego smirked and walked off with Ben loping after him.

* * *

**A/N**: I told you they'd show up X3 I hope everyone enjoys this chapter, and once again thanks for your comments on the previous one! If you've seen the deleted scenes from the Ice Age DVD then you'll get the whole story with Cindy. I like making small, funny connections.

You know, I'd like to set up a little question section at the end of my chapters if I can, incase any of you had something to ask in your reviews then I could answer them in the next chapter in my author's notes thing-a-ma-bob. I've seen other authors do it, and it seemed nice of them to do, not to mention it looked like fun. I guess it depends if anyone had questions though, right?

Can you believe that next month is when the Ice Age: The Meltdown DVD will be released? The wait feels like an eternity but when it's finally here you think "Gosh that was fast!" XD Oh well, I'm not complaining!

Hope everyone has a great week, and thanks again for taking your time to read my fanfic! If you're ever curious about how I portray these characters image-wise, drop by my DA account! The link is on my profile page ;) Shameless plug, I know...XD


	13. Chapter 13: There is no Regret

**CHAPTER 13:** "_There is no Regret_"

Manny was rather pleased with the location he had chosen. It made the possum brothers and Ellie quite happy as well, which was even better. They made their camp under the shade of a large tree to escape the heat of the afternoon sun. It's branches were thick and they hung low, and that allowed its drooping leaves to make a nice little canopy. The tree itself was a playground for Eddie and Crash, and due to the strong thick branches, even Ellie had no trouble climbing the tree.

_CRASH!_

Sorta.

She suffered a couple of falls to the ground, but it was nothing she couldn't shake off. Manfred stood at the base of the tree and watched as the female mammoth stood up, and marched a complete circle around the tree, following her brothers who scurried in the branches above her. Behind him, he could hear Ellie begin to climb back up the tree and he heard the brothers shout and laugh. There was more snapping of branches, and before Manny could react; Ellie fell again, and this time right in front of him.

"Are you alright?" he asked, a little startled.

She shook off the branches that were caught in her hair. "Yeah, I'm good!"

"This is familiar." he spoke again, humor in his voice this time.

"What is?"

"This. It's how we met, remember?"

"Oh yeah!" Ellie stood up to her feet and smiled at Manny. He returned the smile, and shyly moved his trunk up to brush off a branch she missed. "My first impression wasn't very impressive was it?"

Manny shrugged. "Maybe, but I have no regrets."

"Same here." Ellie's smile became even wider, and then looked to the tree to plan another climb.

"How do you do that anyway?" asked Manny.

"Do what?" she raised a brow. Manny gestured to the tree with his trunk.

"How can you climb so easily?"

"Talent." Ellie said playfully.

"Ellie! C'mon!" Crash's voice was heard up in the tree. Both mammoths looked up and saw the two brothers swinging from their tails. Ellie reached up for them with her trunk teasingly, and they both laughed and darted out of her reach.

She pulled away and looked at Manny. "Wanna play?"

"No. I don't climb" he answered.

"I could teach you." Ellie suggested.

He shook his head, smiling. "I think I'll pass. You go on ahead."

Ellie moved in closer and gave him an affectionate nuzzle before attempting to climb back up the tree. Manny blinked, stunned for a moment at what just happened. The sound of snapping branches brought him to his senses, followed by a crash and a loud thud that came from the other side of the tree. Manny smiled warmly to himself, shaking his head in gentle amusement.

_She really is something else._

"You alright, Sis?" Eddie asked as he hopped down to the ground to join his sister. Crash joined as well and the two possums shoved against her giant legs to help her up, even though Ellie was quite able to do it herself.

"She's alright, Eddie!" Crash reassured. "She's got a big butt to cushion her fall! Are you ready to play again, Ellie?"

"You bet!" The shemmoth nodded, shaking herself off. "And don't talk about my butt."

"She's right, Crash. Only Manny can talk about her butt!" they both snickered and ran to the tree before Ellie could swat them. Their sister climbed up after them again while, on the other side of the tree, Manny was turning red under the fur from the possum's comment.

* * *

Diego found a perfect hiding spot in a tangled mesh of bushes bordering a shady area of grass that seemed like a good grazing spot for herbivores. It would have been more perfect if Ben hadn't crashed around in the bushes behind him. No wonder Adah left him behind on her hunts. Thankfully, there was no animal in sight to scare off, though perhaps there were none due to Ben's noise. Diego mumbled and cuffed the young tiger on the back of the head.

"First Lesson, kid," Diego whispered. "Shut up."

"Sorry." Ben said, rubbing the back of his head.

The two tigers waited quietly and fortunately a few animals appeared. The grass and shade were too tempting to pass up. Diego could sense Ben growing excited and the older tiger held out his paw in front of the cub before he decided to leap out.

"Lesson two: Know your strengths, and the strength of your prey."

"But we're the predators; shouldn't they be afraid of us?"

"Most of them are. Take that deer for example; he'd run away at the sight of one tiger." Diego motioned Ben to look further and see the various group of animals. One of them was a rhino. "Though some of them aren't afraid of us, not unless we travel in a pack."

"Right." Ben nodded, and then he paused. "So...what do we do?"

"That's where lesson three comes in. Once you find your ideal prey, you stalk in order to get as close as you can. And when the time is right, you ambush them." Diego scanned the area for smaller prey for Ben to practice on. He spotted a couple of aardvarks near the tangle of bushes.

"There." Diego pointed with a claw and Ben looked. "You'll hunt those."

"Me?"

"Go on, kid."

Ben gulped and went forward, moving as slowly as possible without making a sound while Diego kept an eye on things from the back. The cub silently went over the first two lessons in his head as he inched closer to the aardvarks. Once he was close enough, Ben looked back at Diego who nodded for him to execute lesson three. He gulped again, and heaved his entire form out of the bushes, leaping out in front of the aardvarks. Instead of fleeing for their lives, the two prey-animals simply stared at Ben.

"Awww, it's a wittle kitty!" one pointed with his long nose.

"I'm not a kitty!" Ben protested. He lowered his ears and growled, trying to look threatening. "I'm a saber!"

"Not with teeth like that!" the two aardvarks laughed. The commotion soon gained the attention of the other animals and a couple of deer came to see the cub. Ben lowered his head as they all coo-ed and laughed at him.

"Aww he's pouty!"

"How cute! I never seen one this close before!"

"It's okay, he won't bite!"

Diego slapped his forehead with his paw and sighed. This was too painful to watch. Soon the rhino was curious and Ben backed away instinctively at his approach.

"Whats this?" he snorted at Ben.

"It's just a saber cub." One deer replied.

"With all the commotion I thought it was a tiger." He snorted at Ben again, who flinched this time. "Aww are you going to run home to momma?"

There was more rustling in the bushes, and all the animals looked ahead to see Diego stepping out. Ben's expression lightened up at the sight of the older tiger while the other animals grew nervous.

"Good work, kid." Diego said, keeping his eyes on the group of animals. "You led the pack straight to a nice buffet."

"What? This little runt led a whole pack here! We're dead!"

"RUN!" They all freaked and ran off, leaving Ben and Diego.

"Thanks Diego." Ben said quietly, ashamed of what happened. Diego walked up beside him and ruffled the hair on his head with his paw.

"It's okay kid. You can't get it right on the first try. My advice; try roaring as you jump out at your prey, they'll take you seriously then."

"I'm still working on that." Ben added.

"It's easy. Roaring starts right here," Diego held a paw up to his chest, "Deep in the chest, not the throat. If you use your throat, you're going to get raspy cub growls."

"I'll remember that!" Ben smiled and Diego nodded. He was glad that the kid's moods were uplifted after that embarrassing moment earlier. He looked around and sighed. There wouldn't be any more prey in this area for a while. Looks like Diego would have to skip lunch today.

"Let's get you back to Adah." he told Ben.

* * *

The two tigers headed back to to spot where Ben and Adah have been resting at. Diego calmly walked through the grass, listening to Ben jumping and rolling around behind him. He ran ahead of Diego trying to encourage him to race, but Diego had too much dignity to resort to cub's games and ignored him. Ben admitted defeat and matched the older tiger's stride. For the most part, they walked in silence. Ever since their last encounter Diego wanted to ask Ben about his thoughts on Soto but he was unsure how to come about asking it. Apparently, Ben was thinking something similar, and he beat Diego to speaking first.

"What was it like in Soto's pack, Diego?" the cub asked. Diego blinked and stared at Ben.

"Uh, well," he paused. He had to think what it was like before Soto had gone off the deep end. He had little memory of the better pack days. "It wasn't too bad. From what I can remember we had a fairly large pack, and a good hunting spot with plenty of animal traffic."

"And Soto?" The younger tiger looked at the older tiger who kept silent for a while before replying.

"Sid told you about him, right?" Diego asked, and Ben nodded. "Well, he wasn't always like that, though he still could be a grouch. All the trouble began when a herd of humans made their home within our territory. At first it wasn't too bad. We only fought when we both were hunting the same prey. Then one day the humans killed a hunting unit and one of them was Soto's mate. After that, he lost sense of priority, and attacked the human herd. In return they started to hunt us till there were only five left."

"Wow." Ben lowered his head, "I'm sorry."

"It's fine, kid. That was then, and now I've got a new pack." he snickered some, "Well, they prefer to be called a herd. When I think about it now, I don't have any regrets doing what I did for them."

"I didn't know him very well," Ben added, "and I'm not mad at you guys for what happened. I thought if I found Soto, he would know where my pack was. Now, we really have no idea where to go."

"That's life, kid, get a helmet." Diego said, "I'm not gonna sugar coat things, you may never find your pack. A lot of tigers don't end up staying with the same pack their entire lives."

"You weren't born into Soto's pack?"

"No. I ran into them when I was a year or two older than you, actually." He looked at Ben and noted the sad expression on the cubs face. He sighed. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have discouraged you. At least you have Adah to watch out for you. That's luckier than most."

"Yeah, I love her." he said. Diego felt his skin twitch for some reason. "She's like my big sister."

"How did you meet her anyway?"

"That's none of your business." came a voice. Both tigers looked up and saw Adah standing a few paces ahead. Ben gulped and crouched low to the ground. She motioned to the cub to move. "I caught you some lunch, Ben. Go and eat."

"Yes, Adah." he quickly loped past her, leaving Diego on his own. He stared at her, not backing down from her rather unfriendly gaze.

"Looks like you're still mad about our first meeting." he spoke. She hmph-ed which made Diego smirk. "I was hoping you wouldn't mind. I took the kid out for a hunting lesson. He needed it."

She didn't say anything. Diego looked her over and noted how tense she was. To him, she didn't look the least bit threatening. He really couldn't blame her though. Most likely she knew what Ben knew and it was probably the reason for her hostility towards him now. Then again she seemed fine with the others, so what was Adah's problem with him? Even in his previous pack he never really paid any attention to the females, but he always considered himself somewhat charming and well-groomed.

"Do you always have your claws out, or is it because I'm around?" he asked, taunting her and breaking the tension. Adah blinked and tucked in her paws beneath her.

"Excuse me for not being friendly with every predator I see." she said defensively.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Diego took a step forward which startled Adah "You're preaching to the choir here, sister. You've seen who I travel with. They're loud, sometimes they can be pretty stubborn, but they don't have a treacherous bone in their bodies except maybe the possums."

Adah stared, but she couldn't help but smile at the last comment. Diego raised a brow and looked at her with great amusement.

"You're smiling. That's a first. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone."

"Are you always this sarcastic?" she huffed.

"Yes." he replied, admiring his claws coolly. He placed his paw back on the ground and looked up at her. "I better go before I wear out my welcome. Tell the kid I said later."

Diego turned to leave, and heard her call to him. "Hey!"

Adah ran back to the tree and returned with something in her mouth. A few paces ahead of Diego, she dropped it to the ground, and he could see it was a meal she had caught. Was it for herself? What was she doing now? He looked at her, curious.

"A thank you." she said quietly, shifting nervously in her stance. Her eyes avoided him for a moment before glancing back in his direction. "...for keeping an eye on him."

Diego stared at her for a moment, feeling a trace of a smile form "No problem."

He scooped up her gift in his jaws and went on his way again, leaving Adah stunned over the whole encounter. She was unsure what to make of her sudden kindness, and she found his just as strange. Adah wanted to be suspicious but Diego had no reason to harm her or Ben. Besides, he hung around a group of animals that would be considered food yet he was as docile around them like one would be among pack-mates. She was beginning to find it difficult to stay angry at him for their first encounter and the whole issue with Ben's kin. She was only upset because it had made Ben upset, but the cub's spirits were returning and he bore no grudge against the herd.

Earlier, when she had awoken from her cat-nap she caught his scent, and before she could think the worst she saw Diego and Ben returning. The cub seemed ecstatic, and the older tiger didn't appear to mind his enthusiasm. In the end, Diego wasn't so bad, though when he spoke to her it made her feel uncomfortable. She was never approached by any saber with such confidence. He was a tiger who defied everything, even nature by traveling with a group of herbivores. Adah stared after him as he left, but then caught herself and shook her head. She turned around and walked back to the tree to join Ben who was eating his lunch.

_Glad he's gone._ She thought,_ Now I don't have to look at him- TALK TO HIM! I meant now I don't have to TALK to him! AURGH!_

* * *

**A/N**: Well, I got nothing in particular to say about this chapter. Some fluff and some little hints and more development. Hope its good development! I've been pretty busy lately, and hope everyone has a fun and safe Halloween. I'm too old to trick or treat but dressing up is fun XD I'm going as Super Mario:D

Later taters! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and thanks again for so many reviews!


	14. Chapter 14: The Dogs of War

**CHAPTER 14:** "_The Dogs of War_"

Uncle Fungus sat on top of the fallen trunk while the family ate the breakfast they had gathered that morning. Rose's senses had been failing for as long as he could remember, and he always took it upon himself to be the lookout while everyone ate and relaxed. When it came to the family hierarchy, Uncle Fungus was at the bottom of the family tree order, and though he never got along with Rose's mate (and the possible reason why he was at the bottom) he figured he was posted there as lookout. Zak and Marshall had the highest branches, with Sid in between them, and then Bernie. How he was below his dim-witted nephew was beyond him. Rose's mate must have really disliked him compared to his middle son.

He still couldn't figure out how Sid managed to survive as long as he did. Sid was his mother's son, so his natural instincts were zero to none. Perhaps his story about traveling with other animals was true, but he wouldn't admit anything till he saw some real proof.

They decided to have breakfast without Sid, since he never really stated when in the day he would return to visit. He watched quietly as Rose chatted with Cindy over female sloth subjects, and Bernie made a little pig out of himself, stuffing mushrooms and fruit in his mouth eagerly. The older sloth turned his head and looked in another direction.

Ever since Uncle Fungus woke up he sensed something strange in the air, but the scent was too subtle for him to determine what it was exactly. For the most part he shrugged it off but as the morning wore on, the scent grew a little stronger. Uncle Fungus still couldn't figure out what it was from, but suddenly his instincts told him to find safety. And that was all the information he needed.

"Rose." he called to her as he slid off the fallen trunk. "Rose, let's go."

"Go? Where are we going?" she asked. Uncle Fungus urged her to her feet, and motioned Cindy to pick up Bernie. She seemed a little uneasy and he knew she most likely sensed what he sensed.

"Just come with me, Rose." he replied, not wanting to frighten her but he didn't want to be slow in things. He led her to a tree so she wouldn't walk straight into it, and then urged his sister into climbing up it. Without any protest, Rose did so and once she stood on a limb she looked down to see Bernie climbing after her.

"Did you sense something, Uncle Fungus?" Bernie asked. He stopped in mid-climb to see the area.

"Bernie, just climb!" he scolded his little nephew causing the little sloth to flinch, but he did what he was told. He motioned to Cindy to go up after him and glanced back. Uncle Fungus tried to remain calm but sense of urgency increased as his instincts shouted _Go, now! RUN!_

"Uncle Fungus! Climb!" Bernie shouted.

The older sloth didn't need to be told twice. When he had looked back he saw several figures moving swiftly through the petrified trees. The sloth crouched down and jumped with all his might, clinging onto the stone tree. Snarls were heard behind him, and Uncle Fungus dared not look down as he quickly climbed his way up the tree. He felt warm breath, and heard the snapping of teeth which encouraged him only to climb faster. He joined Rose on the branch she stood on, and was finally able to glance down at the danger.

Four wolves circled the tree. One leaped up, jaws snapping, and the sloths drew back even though they were out of reach. The wolves all snarled viciously, glaring at the family, as if they were silently cursing them; _You were ours. _There was a howl then, resonating from another wolf that was not among the four. The dogs stopped their barking and snarling to look back, even the sloths looked.

A large, red wolf walked into the clearing. His fur was scraggly and unkempt but he walked with pride and authority regardless of his appearance. The other wolves lowered their ears and heads as he stopped before them. Uncle Fungus felt a shiver run up his back as he caught a glimpse of his yellow, yellow eyes. He knew this was the most dangerous one of them all, the one that caused the unsettling feeling earlier.

The red wolf didn't spare the sloths a glance and trotted off, and without uttering a single word the other four followed him. The family of sloths watched them leave, not making a sound till they were all out of sight. Almost at the same time did they all release the breath they had been holding in.

"That was spooky!" Bernie cried as he clung onto Cindy. Cindy bent down to comfort the little sloth. Rose brushed a tuft of fur with her claws, a sign she was still nervous. Uncle Fungus only stared in the direction the wolves went.

"Oh no!" Cindy's neck shot up. The two adult sloths turned to look at her. "What about Sidney?"

* * *

Manny had wanted to move on the next morning, but there was a strange unsettling feeling in the air—an odd sort of excitement, or anxiety. He could feel it, and he watched carefully at the birds in the trees that chattered and chirped before flocks of them took flight. There was something dangerous nearby, but Manny couldn't tell where it was coming from. He wanted to move the herd away to some place safe, but Diego decided to check it out first. While he was gone, the mammoth held the fort and kept a vigil while Ellie, Sid, and the possums kept under the large tree.

"This is boring!" Eddie whined. "Why do we have to wait anyway?"

"Somethings up, that's why!" Sid glanced around suspiciously. "When Manny's Mammoth Senses tingle that means something bad is going to happen."

"Sid." Manny groaned with annoyance. Sid stood upright and placed his claws on his fat hips.

"Well its true!" he said defensively. The possum brothers huffed, bored. Ellie smiled to her brothers before leaving them, and walked up to Manny. Sid followed her and stood on one side of him, while Ellie stood on the other.

"What's wrong, big guy?" Ellie asked quietly so her brothers wouldn't hear.

"I'm not really sure," Manny sighed, "There's something wrong. A feeling I don't like. Diego sensed it too and that's why hes gone to see if he can find out what it is. Personally, I'd feel better if we had all left from the start."

"Mind if I go and check on my family, buddy?" Sid asked.

"No."

"Aww, cmon Manny!"

"I said no!"

Sid flinched and said nothing more. Ellie smiled to Sid sympathetically.

"Don't worry, Sid. I'm sure your family is safe, besides Manny is just worried for you, that's all!"

"Really?" Sid's eyes lit up and he stared at Manny. Before the mammoth could say or do anything, the sloth threw his entire form onto his trunk, clinging and sobbing on it. "I didn't know you cared so much!"

"Sid!" Manny jerked his head and plopped Sid back onto the ground. The mammoth huffed and spoke in a softer tone this time. "I'm sorry. You can check on them after Diego gets back."

"Yeah and we'll go with you! Momma always said there was safety in numbers, right guys?" Ellie looked back for her brothers' response but there was none. "Crash? Eddie?"

Ellie walked back towards the tree to look closer into the branches. Manny and Sid turned their heads, watching her as she used her trunk to push aside branches. Ellie dropped her trunk and glanced back at Manny. Her eyes were wide with worry and fear.

"They're gone."

* * *

The two possums scurried through the grass, stopping once in a while to poke their heads up for a view. They hardly ventured off without Ellie unless they had good cover to protect themselves against predators, and there were a lot of bushes and a few trees around. They kept the large tree the others stayed under in view, but the more they played the further they ran. And soon the tree was completely out of sight.

"I don't get why Manny is so uptight!" Crash said as he hopped through the grass. "My possum senses aren't tingling at all!"

The two brothers scuffled about, rolling, till they collapsed on their backs. Crash slapped Eddie on the head, causing him to yelp in surprise, but in the end they both laughed. A noise caused their ears to twitch and the two possums hushed. Sitting up, they looked around, and saw nothing. Eddie huffed and stood up crossing his arms.

"Hm, maybe our senses only go off when we see possum enemies."

"But what gets a mammoth scared? They're the biggest things on earth!"

"BOO!"

A third voice sent Crash and Eddie flying into the air, screaming at the top of their lungs. As soon as they came crashing down they feigned death by sticking their tongues out and going stiff in the limbs. The source of the third voice was none other than Ben. He moved in closer to inspect the "dead" possums.

"Hey!" Ben nosed the nearest possum. He titled his head to one side, unsure of what to make of the scene. "Hey, wake up!"

Crash slowly opened one eye and saw the cub. "BEN!" He slapped Eddie in the face to shake him out of his act as he hopped back to his feet. "Eddie get up! It's just Ben!"

Eddie opened his eyes and jumped to his feet. "Ben! We thought you were a predator!"

"But I am a predator." he stated.

"Yeah, right!" Eddie laughed. He walked up to Ben and grabbed him by his saber teeth and shook his head. "Not with teeth like these!"

"Hey, I think we could de-fang him!" Crash snickered. Ben shook Eddie off him and covered his mouth with a paw.

"I just grew these in!"

"Great! That makes things easier for us!" Eddie nodded.

"What are you doing out here anyway, Ben?" Crash asked.

"Me? Oh, well, I was just wandering around." he paused realizing he really didn't have to lie to these two. "I ran off while Adah went scouting."

"Awesome! Another fugitive on the run!" Eddie grinned, before continuing on dramatically. "Won't you join us?"

"Okay! What are we doing?" Ben asked. Crash and Eddie looked at each other, their smiles sly.

"TAG!"

Crash jumped on Ben's head and dove off, breaking into a scurry-run once hitting the ground. Eddie laughed and followed his brother, leaving Ben to process what just happened. He grinned and loped after them. Eddie and Crash looked back and shouted playfully and both went in two different directions as Ben pounced down, missing them both. He looked up to see Crash making faces, and on the other side Eddie did a hand stand and waved his hind end in the air. Ben randomly chased after Eddie, who screamed and ran off with the saber-cub right behind him.

"I'm coming, Eddie!" Crash laughed and ran after the two.

The trio continued their game until Ben ran out of fuel. He wasn't much of a runner as he loped half-heartedly after Eddie, nearing a small thicket of trees before finally coming to a halt. Ben stopped to catch his breath and soon the two brothers joined him and hopped on his back to rest their feet.

"As soon as I catch my breath, you two are in for it." Ben said.

"Whatever you say, oh mighty hunter!" Crash teased. His brother gave him a high-five and they both chuckled.

"Hey how about hide-in-seek this time?" Eddie suggested, then pointed to the thicket ahead of them. "This would make a great hiding spot."

"Good idea! I need to practice my stalking." Ben nodded.

Crash snickered. "Well, you better watch out, Ben! Cuz Eddie and I are the champs of hide-in-go-seek!"

"That's right, we were born to scurry and hide. We might even jump out and scare-"

"_ARRROOO!_"

"AHHHHHH!"

All three of them shouted as a wolf lunged out of the brush. It barely missed Ben by a hair and he skidded to a halt, stopping his momentum. The wolf turned back only to see the cub darting off with the two possums clinging desperately to his fur. Another snarl, and the wolf gave chase.

"Ben! Must. Go. FASTER!" Eddie tugged at his fur, urging him to keep up the pace.

The two possums gaped as they looked back. Another wolf appeared out of the thicket and joined behind the first wolf. The cub didn't dare to look back, but as he looked ahead he wasn't entirely sure where to go. Ben labored in his breathing and his muscled ached causing him to slow down. He was still out of breath from their game. Feeling of dread overcame him as he could hear two wolves closing in.

A blur of grey rushed past Ben, surprising him and causing him to trip over himself sending the two possums flying off his back and crashing into the dirt. Ben shook off and turned his head to look back. Adah roared as she came upon the wolves, swinging a paw at the one closest. Both wolves drew back, teeth bared, and then they lunged at her. The saber shoved into one, her teeth moving in to clasp around his throat. The other wolf saw an opening, and rushed in, fangs at the ready.

"Adah!" Before Ben could rise up to his feet, another blur, of orange this time, ran past him.

Diego's paw connected with the muzzle of the attacking wolf, knocking him away from Adah, and it yelped in pain. His companion barely dodged Adah and fell back beside his friend. Diego came between the other saber and the two wolves, roaring. In response, the canines growled, preparing to engage in another fight but then the ears of both wolves drooped. Diego could only smirk, knowing what it was.

"Get down, Adah!" he said, pushing her towards the ground with a paw, and ducking down alongside her. A pair of enormous tusks came over them and shoved into the two frightened wolves. They both yelped as they skidded across the dirt. They scrambled up and looked at Manny who bellowed a loud trumpet with his trunk. It sent them running off with their tails between their legs.

"Yeah, who's the biggest, baddest mammal? Manny is!" Sid cheered, sitting on the back of his friend. "He can scare away wild wolves just by blowing his nose!"

Manny moved to the side, moving his tusks out of the way so Diego and Adah could stand. Diego rose to his feet, feigning a cough and ignoring the close proximity he was with Adah, who also rose and tried to ignore the same fact. Behind them Ellie stood beside Ben, comforting him and both her brothers. Crash and Eddie sobbed and clung to her trunk, apologizing for running off the way they did.

Adah sighed in relief as she walked up to Ben. The cub nuzzled up to her and she returned the gesture. Ellie looked down to her and smiled and Adah found herself returning the smile. The tigress looked back to where Manny and Diego stood and nodded.

"Thank you." she said quietly. Manny nodded back and Diego simply smirked (because he's too cool to reply any other way).

"What happened?" Ben asked.

"You and the possums were lucky, kid." Diego said, "I ran into Adah on my way back, and she was looking for you."

"Yeah, and we were looking for you." Ellie's gaze was fixated on her brothers who shrugged sheepishly. Ben couldn't help but gulp once he noticed the subtle glare Adah was giving him. They knew they were going to get it much later.

"I guess we know now what the danger was." Manny added in somberly. He felt Sid tap him on the back of his head.

"It wouldn't be a bad time to ask if we could check on my family now, would it buddy?"

Manny allowed a gentle smile to creep up on him as he sighed. "No, Sid, that would be a good idea."

"Ahem." The mammoth paused when Sid poked him in the back of his head. Manny looked back at Sid who motioned to the two tigers with his head, giving his friend a hint. Manny sighed, he was just too nice.

"I think it would be a good idea if we all stuck close for now." Manfred spoke, glancing at Adah and Ben. They blinked and looked at each other as the mammoth continued to walk on.

Manny didn't say much, but the shemmoth and possums knew and lit up at Manny's gesture. Eddie and Crash hopped onto Ben's back while Ellie nudged Adah with her trunk in a friendly manner, urging her and Ben to follow as the herd went after Manny. Ben looked at Adah and smiled before running after them, as the female sat there for a moment, shocked and confused at what just happened. She saw Diego glancing back as they were leaving and her eyes darted to the ground, not wanting to make eye contact. Slowly, she stood up and followed behind the odd herd.

* * *

**A/N**: I suck at action XD I tried! You can't say I didn't try so NYAH! Actually you could, but then I'd be like "You're a fibber!"

So did everyone have a good Halloween:D X3 Can't believe its already November W00T! You know what that means! Ice Age: The Meltdown is just around the bend! The wait is going to be agonizingly slow because time hates us and loves to make us suffer XD I must hold onto my sanity somehow...AHH TOO LATE! OH CRUEL FATES WHY DOTH THOU TEASE ME?

Yes, in case you can't tell I'm hyper XD Good moods for all! All I can say is I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I was hoping to upload the next chapter on the movie's release date. I don't know, I just thought that would be nice. Everyone will be in a bigger Ice Age mood XD

Take care, and thanks so much for all the awesome reviews! MUCH LOVE AND HUGS!


	15. Chapter 15: Dire Need

**CHAPTER FIFTEEN:** "_Dire Need_"

Sid was greeted by his family (excluding Uncle Fungus) with enthusiastic shouts and sighs of relief. Bernie had pointed at his brother who made his way through the trees and Rose and Cindy got to their feet and ran to welcome him. Sid opened his arms, grinning as Cindy ran to him, but it was his mother, however, who clung to him instead; knocking him to the ground in the process. Cindy and Bernie helped them both up while Uncle Fungus stood in the back. When the rest of Sid's herd arrived the sloths took a step back and gaped.

"It's okay!" Sid assured them. "They're my friends. Guys, you met my mom. This here is Bernie, Cindy, and Uncle Fungus."

Rose, who had met them a few days ago, nodded and smiled to them. Ellie returned the gesture and waved back with her trunk. Cindy stared in awe at the two mammoths, unphased by Bernie's attempts to hide in her arms. She then noticed the two adult sabers and let out a high-pitched yelp of surprise. Rose chuckled at Sid as he smiled. Before he could continue with more introductions Uncle Fungus yanked him back to the fallen tree trunk.

"_They're _the group you've been traveling with?" he asked.

"I told you." Sid grinned smugly but he flinched as Uncle Fungus threatened to thwap him. Rose joined in on their little conversation, looking back at the odd herd with a worried expression.

"Sidney, I'm beginning to think you're friends aren't sloths," she said. Then she continued in a whisper. "I think those three in the back might be tigers."

Her son blinked while Uncle Fungus sighed, having more tolerance for his sister than he had for Sid. Rose shrugged it off and cupped Sid's face with her claws and rubbed her nose against his lovingly.

"We were so worried about you! Wolves attacked us this morning and we saw them head south."

"You didn't run into them, did you?" Uncle Fungus asked.

"Actually, we did." Manny said, walking up to them. "Two of them appeared near our spot."

"Really? There were five of them here." Rose inquired. Sid and Manny exchanged glances and soon after Diego walked up beside the mammoth.

"Judging by the numbers this isn't a small group of rogues," Diego added, "It might be a full-fledged pack."

"Rogues, packs. They're still dangerous!" Uncle Fungus exclaimed.

"Manny, you think...maybe...by any chance..." Sid looked up at his large friend with pleading eyes. Manny blinked and shook his head.

"Ohhh no. What does this look like? Sign-up day?"

"They're my family! And we invited Diego's girlfriend and Ben along."

"She's _not_ my girlfriend." Diego growled. Sid ignored him and continued giving Manny the biggest, saddest eyes he could muster. Pathetic as Sid was, Manny couldn't help himself, and the sloth had a point. Before he could consent to the sloth's plea, Sid's uncle objected.

"Hold on a minute!" The elder sloth exclaimed, and the trio stared at him. "You want to drag us into your gang?"

"It's called a _herd_." Diego growled, he stepped up to Uncle Fungus, trying to give him a scare and put the sloth back in his place. Uncle Fungus did not back down and butted his head against the tiger's, shoving back.

"Animals who do not follow the natural order are rebelling against nature, and that makes them hoodlums in my book. Therefore you are a gang!"

"Listen, buddy!" Diego started.

"_Buddy_?" he snapped. Diego lowered his ears and Manny slightly stepped away. They weren't messing with a sloth like Sid. "I've been out running larger predators before you were even born, _boy_!"

Diego roared and jumped for the crotchety old sloth but Manny yanked the tiger back with his trunk. He snarled, and Uncle Fungus showed no fear to the affront Diego put up which annoyed him even more. Sid rubbed his head nervously, having second thoughts about the entire thing now.

"He's a little old fashioned." Sid said. "You know mammoths with mammoths, sloths with sloths."

"Having you for a relative should have changed that entire perspective." Manny replied.

Slowly, he released his grip on Diego, figuring it was safe to let him go. Diego simply glared at Uncle Fungus who returned the glare. Sid noticed his mother was gone and he looked behind Manny to see her, Cindy and Bernie acquainting themselves to the rest of the group. Ellie fussed over Bernie before the cub and two possums gathered around him. Rose conversed with Ellie openly, and it didn't take long for Cindy to join in. Adah kept behind the shemmoth, still unsure about the entire thing.

"Okay, so the old sloth might have a point. We're weird, end of story, but for the sake of everyone, it might not be such a bad idea. A pack of wolves won't attack a group this big."

"You have some sense, mammoth." Uncle Fungus said reluctantly. "Alright, fine. We'll travel with your group until it's safe to leave on our own. With the tiger around, I'm not so sure about that."

"The only one who should be afraid is you, geezer."

"Don't flatter yourself."

* * *

So now the herd acquired six new members, placing the trio in a very strange situation. Ellie and the brothers were thrilled with the idea, however. Crash and Eddie had Ben, and now Bernie to play with while Ellie had three new female herd-mates to talk to. Diego and Manny were still unsure about the entire thing as Sid would try and assure them that it was not so bad. The herd traveled all day and as expected, there was no sign of any predators. Manny assumed it was because the group was too freaky to even be considered as food.

Once the sky began to darken to its evening colors the herd stopped for the day. The pace was slow due to the extra members. Sid's family was not used to long periods of travel. Manny didn't mind much as he though since their extra numbers seemed to keep the danger at bay. As soon as they found a spot to rest for the night, all the herd members split off into separate groups. Sid waddled off to look for some flint to start a fire while his family looked for a tree to sleep in. Ben played with Crash and Eddie which caught Bernie's attention, and Diego and Adah pretty much kept to themselves. Manny watched everyone and sighed. It gained Ellie's attention and the shemmoth made her way up beside the moody mammoth.

"What's wrong, Manny?"

"Nothing, I guess." he said then paused and sighed again. "It's just this whole thing with these tigers and Sid's family and the problem with those wolves. We've gained more attention than I would have liked."

Sid walked by, two flint stones in his claws. "He's just moody because it means less quality time with you, Ellie."

Manny frowned. The sloth hit the nail right on the head. Sid walked on to find a spot to build his fire before the mammoth could reach over and smack him, but then his attention was diverted when Ellie rested her head against his.

"It's okay, big guy." she said softly, and reassuringly "I thought this whole time traveling with you was quality time. Besides, I think everybody is enjoying themselves."

Manny said nothing, but agreed silently as the two mammoths watched over the group. Sid was building his fire which gained Cindy and Rose's attention. They both marveled as Sid lit the tinder he collected, and took a bow as the two females applauded. Ben ran around the area with Bernie, Crash and Eddie who took turns to ride on his back. Rose headed back to the tree the family chose for the night where Uncle Fungus had already made residence in, quietly watching everything from the branch he sat on. Sid sat beside Cindy near the fire as Diego lay quietly on the opposite side of them.

"You have a really nice herd, Sidney." Cindy said while admiring the fire.

"Thanks, and call me Sid."

"Sidney."

"Sid."

"Sidney." Cindy giggled as Sid finally consented into defeat.

"Okay, okay, you can call me Sidney. I prefer Sid though. Its a lot shorter, don't you think?"

"Yeah, but I like Sidney. Your mother calls you Sidney, and I think its kinda dashing." she replied, slightly fidgeting with her claws. Sid blinked and stared at her, unsure if he just heard right. Before he could reply with anything, Rose called to her.

"Cindy! Bernie!"

"Oh, I better go now. Time for bed!" Cindy smiled and stood up. "See you in the morning, Sidney!" She started to walk away but stopped and glanced back at Sid. Again she smiled and waved her claw at him, and Sid did the same. Once she was gone, he turned and faced the firelight, across from him Diego grinned.

"Did she just give you a compliment, _Sidney_?"

"What?" the sloth said defensively, turning a little red under the fur. He figured it was just the closeness of the fire.

"It's a little different when the teasing is focused on you, isn't it?" Manny said, coming up behind the sloth. Sid stuck his tongue out to both his friends and casually groomed his fur with a claw.

"You just caught me off guard, that's all." he said, "Besides; they don't call me Sid the Sideous for nothing!"

"More like Sid the Hideous." Diego retorted.

"I don't see any progress between you and Adah." the sloth accused.

"Because there is nothing between us." the tiger stated. Manny raised an eyebrow, skeptical of his friend's response and Sid's feelings were mutual. Diego noted their expressions and turned his head away. "There's nothing, okay?"

"Keep telling yourself that, buddy!" Sid grinned. Then he began to sing again "_Pussycat, pussycat I love you! Yes I do!"_

"Shut up, Sid." Diego growled.

"He's never gonna let up on you." Manny started, Diego blinked at stared at his larger friend. "It'll be easier on all of us, and our ears, if you just go with it."

That rotten mammoth. How could he use the same advice he had given to Manny against him! He could see the smug look on his face too. Diego only mumbled and rested his head on his paws. Sid continued to sing but was abruptly stopped by a hit on the head with Manny's trunk.

"Goodnight, Sid." he said sternly. The sloth got the hint and rubbed his head.

"Night buddies!"

The herd settled down for sleep as nightfall finally approached, the last of the daylight already spent. Only their small area was lit by the glow from the fire. The trio laid by the fire while the sloths rested in the trees above. Ellie and her brothers shared the same tree with the sloths and slept soundly, hanging on the lower branches (despite the strain Ellie's weight put on said tree). Diego watched quietly as Ben snuggled up to Adah who kept the furthest from the group. She responded to the cub affectionately, licking the top of his head before resting her head down. When there was nothing but the sound of breathing throughout their small camp, and the crackling of the fire, Diego relaxed and finally allowed himself to sleep.

* * *

The morning seemed like any other morning, except there was trouble afoot. Crash and Eddie woke up before the rest of the herd, snuck down the tree, and woke Ben and Bernie up. The cub and young sloth quietly joined their possum pals and all four of them wandered off to play before the adults in the herd realized they were not around. The small group snickered, feeling they had outsmarted the others and wrestled and engaged in a game of tag. All fought so hard to keep from making too much noise which turned into a game itself.

It would have been like any other morning, but the aforementioned trouble soon came about. While Ben stalked the possums and sloth, a Scrat scurried into view. The saber-toothed squirrel seemed frightened, as it held on to its acorn desperately, but apparently not too frightened of Ben as the small creature hid behind the cub.

"Hey what's that?" Bernie asked, peeking out from his hiding spot. It cued the possums to come out of their own figuring it was time-out.

"Maybe it's a type of possum." Eddie mused.

"It doesn't look like a possum. Look at that bushy tail! What do you think, Ben?"

"I don't know." Ben replied. He lowered his head to look underneath himself and observe Scrat. The squirrel pointed a claw and Ben looked up. Bernie scratched his head and Crash and Eddie shared his sentiments.

"What's it doing?" Eddie asked. The others shrugged while Scrat continued to point ahead of them, this time more insistently. The young animals took a guess and they all turned their heads back trying to follow the squirrel's line of sight. And soon they understood why he ran in terror.

"WOLF!"

Ellie was the first to wake up from the cry. Startled, her tail lost it's grip on the tree limb she was hanging on and fell down with a large _THUD_! In turn, it sent off a chain reaction. Sharing the same tree as the sloths, the "earthquake" knocked Uncle Fungus off the limb he was sleeping on and onto Manny who jerked awake which sent the sloth crashing into Diego. The rude awakening caused the tiger to roar and sent the rest of the group into further panic.

"What?" Manny asked, alert and wide-eyed. "What is it? Ellie?"

"My Bad!" The shemmoth stood up on all fours with a groan, her head sore from the fall. Rubbing her head with her trunk, she continued. "I thought I heard the boys shouting. It was probably a dream, those two are still...slee...ping."

She trailed off. The spot where Crash and Eddie were supposedly sleeping was empty. Rose and Adah soon grew alert when they noticed Ben and Bernie were gone from their spots as well. Everyone exchanged glances, silently agreeing on what needed to be done next, but suddenly their work was done for them. The four missing animals in question ran back to the herd with Scrat trailing after them.

"Where have you two been?" Ellie questioned as her brothers climbed up on her back.

They didn't answer and only huddled close to each other in her dense fur. She looked over and saw Ben hiding behind Adah while Bernie had made his way back up the tree to join his mother. The shemmoth looked at Manny hoping he had an answer but he was just as perplexed, and staring down at the Scrat who dove behind his leg. The squirrel began to point ahead as he done before, feeling that an adult mammoth would be better protection than his choice in Ben. Everyone looked up and saw the oncoming figure which had frightened the younger herd members.

"WOLF!"

Ellie and the female sloths joined in the cries of Crash, Eddie, and Ben as a yellow-furred figure darted for Manfred. The mammoth let out a startled trumpet cry and reared up, but the wolf didn't back down. In fact, the mammoth gave him the perfect opening to attack the now vulnerable Scrat and made a dive for the squirrel. With quick reflexes, Diego pounced on the wolf; both figures tumbling before pitching to a halt with the tiger looming over the attacker, and snarling viciously.

"Lemme at 'im! 'ey, easy, easy!" The wolf struggled for a moment but lowered his ears upon seeing the tiger snarling. "I di'nt intarupt anything, did I?"

Manny walked up behind Diego, and Ellie slowly joined, keeping behind him. The others kept their distance, watching, with wide-eyed expressions, over the events that had unfolded.

"What do you suppose made him attack us the way he did?" Ellie whispered to Manny. Manny had a clue but the Scrat critter had already scurried away, losing his acorn in the commotion earlier.

"Rabies?" Crash guessed, taking a peek over Ellie's poofy hair.

"No." Diego answered, still keeping the canine pinned. "Stupidity."

* * *

**A/N**: To be honest, the weekend has been very depressing for my family. Had some bad times and I was discouraged in putting this chapter up this week, but I promised XB So please enjoy it.

And the characters keep on coming! XO Phew, writing everyone together is hard, but its also fun cuz its plain wacky. Especially the way they all interact with each other. And more characters will be just around the bend! OH MY! but they shall be the last batch, myes. I want to apologize to the people who ask for certain couples and scenes. I want to try and make sure everyone gets some spotlight, but I'll do my best to make their scenes good when they come up.

And I got my copy of Ice Age: The Meltdown (and I'm sure every other fan has too POWER TO US) I'm gonna go watch it now. I've been dying to make screen-caps of this movie. Art reference, mang! Its your best friend!

And HOLY COW! Almost 100 reviews! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I need to do something in return :rubs chin: Be on the look out MUWHAHAH

Gah, thanks again X3 and to those who celebrate it, have a great thanksgiving! To everyone else; have a great week! Take care :D


	16. Chapter 16: Canis Rufus

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN:** "_Canis Rufus_"

It started like any other morning for the wolf. He woke up and began the day by scavenging for food. It was not his usual nature to do such a lowly thing, but he was hungry and wanted an easy meal. He dug up an acorn, and being a carnivore, it was not something he considered as food. The fact didn't seem to concern the Scrat, who came in flying out of nowhere, biting and clawing with his small teeth and nails. It took the acorn and made a hasty retreat as the wolf, who was in pain, chased after him. The idea of a Scrat meal did not cross his mind, but it had been the umpteenth time that little rodent caused him misery, and every encounter he tried to pay him back for the favor. He thought today would be the day, but he was wrong.

He didn't expect to run into more prey. He was so absorbed in catching the Scrat he didn't realize what sort of herd it was until the tiger pinned him. What was a tiger doing with mammoths anyway? Whatever the reason the group looked pretty frazzled. Everyone stared at the wolf who had so boldly charged into their camp. The wolf returned the stare, smiling nervously as he did so, but it did not ease the tension in the other animals.

The wolf glanced over all the members, biting back a chuckle. He thought he'd seen everything! Yet they looked like reasonable animals. He figured all he had to do was explain himself. Yeah, that was it. Honesty is the best policy after all.

"Ya di'nt think I was huntin' you, did'ja?" he said lamely.

"When you come charging in with your teeth bared, we kinda got the impression you were, mutt-face" Diego growled.

"One wolf against two mammoths?" Eddie inquired. He then flopped his arms against his sides. "Diego's right, he's stupid."

"EY!" the wolf tried to get up but with another growl and shove from the tiger the wolf gave up. "Okay! Okay! I'm sorry ya thought dat, but I wasn't, honest! I tracked da lil' rodent here."

"HEY!" the possums cried defensively.

"Not YOU!" the canine exclaimed. "He was a short guy, bushy tail, with one nut."

The possums snickered at the last comment. Ellie rolled her eyes over their immaturity; the feeling was mutual for Diego and Manny as well. The mammoth looked down at Diego who glanced back. Manfred nodded to his friend that it was safe to let the wolf go. The tiger did as his friend requested and backed off, but still eying the other predator warily. The wolf got back to all fours and shook off.

"Ah thanks! By the way, the name's Tate." he nodded. "Lieutenant Tate from da West Dire Pack."

The others stared at him, clueless. Diego continued to glare at him, clearly unimpressed of his title. Tate sighed to himself. He never got any respect.

"You're being awfully friendly compared to the other day, dog." Uncle Fungus snorted. Crash and Eddie looked at each other and simultaneously pointed accusingly at Tate.

"That's right! You guys attacked us and Ben yesterday!" Crash shouted. Ben nodded and kept behind Adah who, like Diego, kept a close eye on Tate despite his friendly demeanor. The wolf blinked and pointed a paw at himself.

"Me? Whadda' yer' talkin' about? I jus' met ya all today!"

"Are you trying to tell us you're not part of the pack that attacked us yesterday?" Rose asked.

"A pack?" Tate's ear twitched. He looked at the others who only waited for him to answer "What did 'dis pack look like?"

"What does it matter! All of you wolves look the same! They had teeth and they were eager to use them!" Uncle Fungus exclaimed.

Bernie tugged on his mother's fur and she looked at him. "I remember the big scary red one."

"I remember too!" Cindy nodded. The other animals stared at the sloths and Tate took a step forward, earning a glare from Diego, warning him not to try anything.

"A red wolf? Was he scraggly-lookin'?" the sloths nodded, and Bernie put his claws up to his eyes.

"With bright 'lellow eyes!"

"I take it you know each other?" Uncle Fungus looked at him, even more suspicious. Tate shook his head.

"Not really. Uhm, well you see..."

_AROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!_

The group of animals looked up, hearing a howl in the distance, but unable to find the source. Tate's ears perked, taking a few steps forward he replied with his own howl followed by a short series of barks. Manny watched him, and huffed.

"Oh great, just what we need." he said. Ellie scootched closer to his side, feeling her brothers fidget in her fur. The sloths in the tree also grew uneasy and Diego glared at Tate. He looked back to Diego and the others, seeing their worried expressions deepen even more.

"Whoa, its okay! Dat's just my superior!" The others looked at Tate, still unsure what to make of these titles and ranks. Diego quirked and eyebrow and looked skeptically at the dog.

"That makes it better _how?"_

Tate was going to retort but another howl sounded again, and he grew anxious. "I got ta go, she's calling me."

"You do that." Diego said. The wolf and tiger exchanged glares, and then Tate nodded to the others and trotted off to meet with his fellow wolf. The others let out a sigh of relief and silence fell over the herd for a while as they tried to assemble all that happened within their minds.

"Is it me, or did anyone else find that really weird?" Crash said.

"If we run into that idiot it's going to be too soon." Diego muttered.

Manny shook his head, feeling the same way. "If we don't want that to happen we should move. Let's go."

* * *

The herd continued on their way after breakfast. Manny and Diego kept a sharp eye out for any more predators, and for a while the rest of the herd had been alert, but now they walked at a leisurely pace. Ellie kept a few paces behind Manny and Diego, walking alongside the family of sloths. She enjoyed their company. The sudden increase in members thrilled her more than the aspect of wolves frightened her.

"Rose, are you tired?" Cindy asked, keeping beside the elderly female sloth.

"I could give you a lift, if you'd like." Ellie offered. Rose politely declined, waving a claw.

"Oh, don't worry about me! I'm old but I'm sturdy!" Cindy and Ellie only smiled, as they led the oblivious Rose around a rock before she ran into it.

Ellie bonded with Cindy and Rose almost instantly. Cindy shared in Ellie's enthusiasm over the whole herd situation. Cindy's optimism reminded her of Sid, and perhaps it was the reason why those two got along so well. Sid's mother also reminded Ellie of her possum mother, though her senses were top notch as far as possums go. Rose was friendly to all the herd members, even to the three carnivores. Maybe it was due to the fact that her senses were poor. It was unfortunate, but it also allowed the elder she-sloth to look on the herd without prejudice. The shemmoth smiled as she watched the group, save for one member, who trailed in the back.

"Where is that grey saber?" Rose asked. Her eyesight was poor, but she discerned the herd members by the color of the blurs she saw them as. Manny was dark brown, Ellie was a rust color, Diego was orange, and so on and so forth. She counted them all, except the grey one she knew to be Adah.

"Don't worry, Rose. Adah is right behind us." Ellie replied. The shemmoth glanced back, her expression saddening a little.

Adah was kind, but she was always so distant. The tigress was the complete opposite of Ben, who approached the others boldly, and curiously. He also made friends with Bernie, becoming his, and the possum brothers' new means of transportation. Ellie wished Adah would join in their conversations. During their first meeting by the water hole the shemmoth could already tell she was not bad. Ellie didn't want Adah to be uncomfortable around the herd, but in a way she could not blame her; losing her pack and then joining one consisting of herbivores must come as an unexpected surprise. Ellie didn't want to push Adah into talking, but she thought maybe if she approached her often, it might help her open up more. It seemed Cindy was also curious about the female carnivore, and quite eager for the chance to talk with her. Ellie had to admit, her own curiosity no doubt came from her possum side after seeing how Manny wanted to avoid anything strange (yet ironically having no luck in doing so).

Adah was similar to Manny and Diego; serious and uneasy to sudden change. Ellie had no problem with change. Her mother always encouraged her to keep an open mind; maybe it was a way of preparing her to the inevitable discovery of her mammoth heritage. She had to remind herself that Adah was not like herself, and she had to take it slowly with the saber. Although, Ellie had a hard time keeping her excitement contained. It had been a few days since she last saw Ben and Adah, and she was extremely glad to see them again.

Adah watched the group, still in shock over everything that has happened. She was amazed how well everyone got along with one another, despite their obvious differences. Manfred was the unspoken leader, perhaps due to his size, yet there was this shared decision-making among him, Sid and Diego. From what Ellie had told her back at their first meeting at the lake, she and her "brothers" were fairly new to this herd. Adah could not find any comfort in that fact since she was a predator, not a herbivore like them. Well, there was also Ben, and Diego. They seemed comfortable around Ben, and Diego apparently has been around them for a while if they were so trusting of him.

She could feel her skin under her fur flush red as she watched the tiger ahead of the group. He wasn't anything like the rogue tigers she heard in stories; wild and rampant, with no concern for others. Diego was the complete opposite. He showed fierce loyalty to his herd, his friends, like her and Ben's pack showed to each other. Setting her first impression of him aside, Adah didn't dislike him at all; his kindness to Ben helped soften her. In fact, she found herself watching him more and more, and it irked her, realizing she enjoyed it. She loved the look of him; strong, with a lean, well-muscled frame. He was all power and energy when he moved.

Adah felt she betrayed herself in a sense. The camaraderie among the herd was contagious. Adah actually enjoyed talking with Ellie and Cindy despite how awkward she found it, and her...new impression of Diego conflicted with the want to find her and Ben's pack. It was why she tried to keep herself distant from the others, and she wished Ben would do the same, but he was still a cub. He needed all that social contact to develop and whatnot, but it was supposed to be among other tigers...not...mammoths, possums and sloths. She knew it would be painful for Ben to part with his new friends should they find their pack. It might be a while, it could be never, even with that small possibility Adah felt it would be best to keep away from the herd.

_We can't keep separated from them forever_. She said to herself, speaking of her pack, but her eyes were drawn to Diego. She growled to herself, stricken with the returning feeling of betrayal. Instincts roiled up an emotion for him she could not name, and she felt like a fool to allow it to dull her senses.

She then noticed the herd coming to a stop. She caught sight of a small pond not too far ahead and guessed the herd decided it was break time. Before she could act, she spotted the shemmoth and female sloth approaching her.

"Hiya, Miss Kitty!" Cindy chimed.

"It's Adah, Cindy!" Ellie chuckled, correcting her smaller friend. "Hello, Adah!"

"Uhm, hello, Ellie, uhh...Cindy." Cindy, like Ellie, was ecstatic that she was replying to them. The tigress was still shocked over the fact that two herbivores would approach her so willingly.

"You know, Adah, there's room up front! Why don't you join us?" Ellie offered.

"It's fine," Adah replied, shaking her head. She blinked when she noticed Cindy frowning. "What?"

"Don't you like us?"

Adah didn't know how to respond. She was afraid of giving them the wrong impression that she liked them as food. Instead she shook her head and tried to think of an excuse. "It's not that, really. I'm just...keeping guard in the back."

It seemed to satisfy Cindy and she gasped in shock. "The wolves! I almost forgot!" her voice came down to a whisper. "Any sign of them?"

"Nothing so far."

"Well that's a relief! It's been real crazy ever since that pack showed up. What do you think Ellie?"

"I think we'll be okay. With Manny and Diego-"

"And Sidney!" Cindy added.

"And Sid-"

"And Adah!" she interrupted again.

"And Adah." Ellie smiled, nodding in agreement. Adah stared at the two, but found herself smiling. She couldn't help but feel confident from the praise given to her by Ellie and Cindy. Ellie's smile became wider after seeing Adah warm up a bit more. A little encouragement goes a long way!

* * *

"They're following us." Diego said quietly to Manfred and Sid. The sloth glanced around urgently and then looked up to Manny. Like always, he managed to keep his cool.

"Where?" the mammoth asked. Diego motioned with his head and both sloth and mammoth looked to the side. "You mean they've been following along-side us and not behind us?"

"Adah would have noticed if they did." the tiger said, "I just caught scent of them not too long ago."

"You think they'll do anything?" Sid asked, a little fearful. "What if they bring their pack?"

"Wolves don't hunt mammoths." Manny said.

"No, but we got a lot of other animals they could pick on if we're not careful." Diego added. All three looked back at the others; Sid's family, and Ben especially. Manny nodded.

"Right, I'll ask Ellie if she can keep an eye on them. She seems to be getting along with your girlfriends."

Sid grinned, thrilled at the prospect of Cindy being his girlfriend. Diego on the other hand sighed and shook his head. Before he could protest and deny the mammoth's claim, Sid spoke up.

"Give it up, Diego! You might as well go with it."

"Go with what exactly?" he frowned.

"Talk with her, and you might find out." Sid grinned.

Diego rolled his eyes and tried to change the subject again. "So what do we do about those two mutts?"

"Nothing I guess, as long as they keep their distance." Manny replied. He heaved a heavy sigh and shook his head. "What a mess this is turning into."

"Aw, c'mon, Manny! You know what they say: the more the merrier!"

"You know, Sid," Diego began, "There is a fine line between optimism and stupidity"

* * *

Farther ahead, two figures did their best to keep hidden, but they had a clear view of the herd. One of these figures was Tate and sitting beside him was his superior, a dark colored, sleek she-wolf. She carried herself with an air of authority regardless of her small stature when compared to Tate who was her complete opposite, larger and sporting golden fur. Neither wolf looked menacing or hungry as they watched the odd group, but the she-wolf watched intently, looking over each member of the herd.

"Are you sure they said it was a red wolf?" she spoke bringing Tate out of his thoughts.

"Yep! Dey said da sloths were attacked by a pack o' dem and one was a red wolf. Seems like it fits da bill, Tala." The she-wolf glanced at him and he sat up straight, saluting with a paw. "Major Tala."

"At ease." she nodded, and Tate slumped back to his comfortable position. "We have to find our unit and report of this."

"How?" Tate's ears perked, looking a tad worried. "We don't even know where dey are. With da recent floods we lost all signs of da scents, even some of our landmarks."

"I know that, Tate, but..." she trailed off, scanning the members of the herd in the distance. "Apparently he's chosen a target if he had his scouts attack these guys. It has to be one of them, who we be so bold to attack a mammoth alone. Other than you of course."

"Ey! I di'n't attack da mammoth! Dat scrawny rodent was dere hiding behind 'em!"

"You're obsession with that creature appalls me." Tala said.

"I was jus' trying to give dat little rodent a taste of his own medicine!" the other wolf huffed, then muttered in a smaller voice. "He di'n't hafta go ballistic on me, all I did was dig up an acorn."

"You shouldn't have touched that squirrels nuts."

Tate paused and stared at her. "Never say dat line again."

Tala said nothing else as she tried to suppress her grin and urge to giggle. Tate didn't appear to notice as he continued on, changing the topic.

"So what are we gonna do about dis herd? If we leave, den he's gonna attack dese guys. If we stay, we won't have time to find our unit."

Tala's expression was solemn, and Tate lowered his ears at the sign. Both were conflicted with the conundrum, unsure of what to do, and which choice would be the right one. The dark colored she-wolf sighed and the lower-ranking officer/wolf looked at her worriedly.

"Tala?"

"It's nothing, Tate." She smiled gently "Come on, it's almost midday, let's find some lunch."

"Okay, but what about dem?"

"We'll keep in the vicinity in case he tries to attack." Tate nodded and followed Tala.

"I still don't see who is so important in dat group dere he would want to attack 'em." Tate mused then continued in a joking tone "I wouldn't mind if it was dat tiger."

* * *

Meanwhile, a couple of miles ahead, two different wolves headed Northward. They were the same ones who attacked the herd but a day ago. They did not run in a frantic panic, even after their encounter with a mammoth. No, these two canines had a particular destination to reach.

The territory slowly changed; rolling, grassy plains were soon populated by trees, ranging from sporadic bunches, to giant forests which bordered a glacier wall, curving into a half-bowl. They headed towards one section of the glacier wall, weaving through the trees and slowing down as they approached the mouth of an ice canyon. They took caution as they walked in. Being closer to the glacier walls, ice was very frequent, covering what used to be a large, grand canyon, now turned it into a maze of ice. With spring here, the ice thinned out drastically, making it dangerous to walk on what were once solid pathways. Their pack used it to their advantage as they chased prey into areas they knew were dangerous, and the ice would do the rest.

The two wolves made their way through the labyrinth-like canyon and arrived to the center where their pack made base. The ground was solid rock and safe for them. In the very center of the area was a stone slab, and on that slab sat the red wolf. The rest of the pack stood up to greet their brethren as the leader sat quietly, waiting for a report.

"Major Canis Rufus." one panted, stepping forward and bowing his head in respect. The other one followed suit and their leader nodded. "We found him."

The red wolf's yellow eyes widened, but only slightly. "Good. Is he alone?"

"No." The other spoke, slightly flinching at his leader's subtle displeasure in hearing the response. "We found him with two other tigers; they appear to be traveling with two mammoths."

The other wolves in the pack murmured and whispered to each other, confused about the news they just heard. Rufus was unmoving, but his ears slowly swiveled back and forth, taking in this information. A grey wolf stepped up from the back and spoke up.

"What are we going to do about this, Rufus? We don't hunt mammoths, they're too big even for a pack our size."

Another spoke. "Lono's right, our teeth can't cut into their tough hides like a saber's can."

"Enough." the red wolf said calmly, and the others fell silent. He stood up and made his way down the rock slab, his followers quickly giving way to him. "We found our target, which is good news. Don't worry about the mammoths or the other two tigers. The opportunity will present itself when its time."

The others quietly nodded in consent. Rufus turned away, grinning, content over the news. His yellow eyes glistened. He found his prey, and nothing was going to stop his lust for blood.

* * *

**A/N:** And the last batch of characters are introduced, including the villain, Rufus! (Canis Rufus meaning Red Wolf I FEEL SO CLEVER XD) Oooeeeooo! Most importantly, I want to direct your attention to the characters, Tate and Tala. They belong to my good friend, who goes by the name of ShinCinati here on this site and I'm so glad to finally have these two shown in my story!

These scenes sound good in my head but when I write them out I tend to think "GAH, it sucked!" Okay, so my cliffhangers might be a little cheesy, if you think so thats okay, if you don't thats good too :D All in all, I just want everyone to enjoy it.

I mentioned in my last chapter that I was planning to repay all of you wonderful watchers and commenters, and beware! It will come in three parts, because the last half is taking a while to fix and organize. The first part of my gift you shall find in my livejournal! So after you read, go mosey on and see what it is, and I hope you all like it! X3 The link is in my profile!

Everyone stay warm, and be safe (December already, WOW) Loves and hugs!


	17. Chapter 17: Politics in Nature

**A/N**: Hey everyone, it's been a while! Did you all have a great Christmas? Sorry for the long wait. I decided to upload after the holiday madness when I had more time to do this! Thanks for being so patient and for all the reviews, WOW!

And to add to the christmas gift giving: when you're done reading, head on down to my livejournal (the link's in my profile!) and you will see my second thank-you present for all you wonderful readers and watchers! I hope you enjoy that one as much as the first one, and of course, please enjoy this chapter! I promise I won't take so long when uploading the next one! Take care!

* * *

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:** "_Politics in Nature_"

Rufus arranged a council meeting among his followers and came up with the following plan: Two scouts were to go and keep an eye on this odd-ball herd their target was following. To his great surprise and delight, it already appeared that this group was heading north to the forests. The forests bordered the glacier walls, meaning it brought them closer to their canyon. When that happens, he would order his wolves to chase in their target when the time was right. The rest of the pack nodded in agreement to their leader's plan and two scouts were decided on and left without delay.

Rufus sat on the stone slab once more, vigilant of his pack. Despite being unkempt, he seemed to have a grand and stately appearance, though there was not an ounce of nobility in him at all. Once part of the West Dire Pack as Major Canis Rufus, he trained young wolves to be fearsome additions to their pack. Apparently his leader did not favor his methods, and most of the pack agreed. His banishment was due to his training injuring several young wolves and Rufus' refusal to change his regimen. Rufus would say otherwise; how the weak should not be coddled and his exercises only allowed the strong to surpass - something he realized the West Dire Pack was lacking in. So now he was banished because of his ideals, along with the regiment who was loyal to him. Many of them were wolves who passed his training, and he was proud of them all.

The wolves were now restless after the sudden turn of events in hearing their goal was to be attained so quickly. Ever since their banishment they all called for blood and Rufus's sentiments went out to them all. Being the military genius that he was, the red wolf had already concocted a plan that did not require any of them to shed the blood of their own kind. It just required the blood of one figure, and the rest would fall into place.

"Major Canis Rufus." a wolf approached, saluting respectfully. Rufus nodded, giving him the approval to speak. "I do not wish for you to find me as impudent, but I was simply wondering how the plan will go into motion after the target is killed. What is so important about one tiger?"

Rufus grinned, flashing all of his teeth, which in turn made the other wolf shudder involuntarily. He stood up on all fours and walked off the stone slab to join his fellow pack-mate. "My good soldier, you have an excellent point, and my answer is this...One tiger means nothing to a considerably large pack of sabers. However, the son of the pack leader means everything to them."

"Our target?" the other asked.

"Is the beloved son of Hagar; the same cub I had our unit chase down several days ago." he stared off into the distance. "I almost feared our plan was lost when the flood waters rushed in, washing away his trail. I'm relieved we found him before his pack could. In order for this to work, the sabers must believe wolves from the West Dire pack killed him."

"Yes but... we're banished. No longer part of the West Dire Pack, how can we lay the blame on them?"

"We do not expect these cats to know of the politics that go on within our world. Our first attack should have them believe Miakoda's pack is to blame. Besides, it would be impolite if we did not return the corpse of Hagar's dead son. It's enough to drive such a gentle leader towards savagery and thoughts of revenge."

"Their pack out number our brothers three to one." The other stared at Rufus who only grinned.

"It will be a massacre."

* * *

Eddie and Crash grunted as they shoved their bodies against a giant hollow log, placing it precariously near the edge of a steep hilltop. Ben and Bernie stood behind them, watching, both were anxious and excited. The possums finished adjusting the log's position and turned to look back at the tiger while brushing off their little hands.

"Are you sure it's safe, you guys?" Ben asked for the hundredth time.

"Of course it is, Ben!" Eddie smiled. Crash placed one arm across his brother's shoulder and leaned against him.

"Yeah, look who you're talking to!" Crash grinned, and Ben stared at them blankly.

"So what do we do?" the little sloth asked. Crash and Eddie split up, each going to the opposite ends of the log.

"Just get on, and we'll ride down the hill!"

Bernie stretched his neck to get a view of the slope, and gulped. "That looks awfully steep."

"The deeper the better!" Crash said, "Eddie and I are planning to try a complete free-fall one day!"

"Into some water of course," Eddie added in.

"Aw, I thought we decided on dung." his brother moped for two seconds before patting the surface of the log. "Anyhow, you two hop on! We're gonna let go once Ben gets on."

"What? Why?" Ben took a step back.

"Because, your weight will give us the momentum we need to get this baby rolling!"

Before Ben could object, Eddie ran behind him and shoved against his hindquarters as much as the little possum could. Ben, caught off guard, was herded onto the log. His claws gripped to the surface of the log as it slowly began to move but then he realized that wasn't such a good idea; logs rolled.

"YEEEHAW!" the brothers wailed, running in place on the log as it spun out of control downhill. Bernie clung to Ben's fur as the cub did as the possums did but in a more panicked way. They all shouted, and at first Ben's cries were cries for help but he soon found himself laughing at the incredible rush. Adah was going to kill him if this didn't.

Manny, Sid, and Diego sat on the sidelines, heads turning as the possums rolled by with their two passengers on board their ride of death. The trio flinched simultaneously as a crash was heard, the log came to an abrupt stop thanks to a large tree at the bottom of the hillside. Diego shook his head, almost feeling sorry for Ben, watching as the cub stumbled around, disoriented.

* * *

Sid grinned. "See? Even Ben and my own brother tried log-rolling."

"Give it up, Sid, I'm not trying it." Manny replied sternly.

"Ellie can do it, I'm sure you can to!" he continued.

"I don't want to!"

"Are you a chicken?" Sid gave him a sly look. Manny paused and huffed, he just wouldn't give up "Cmon, even I tried log rolling."

"Yeah, and as I recall you careened out of control, off the log, and into the trees." Diego added, he couldn't keep the humor out of his voice as he remembered that particular day.

"It wasn't bad for a first try."

"No, Sid." Manny started, and motioned towards the young animals who were still trying to regain their senses. "Compared to your crash landing, _that's_ not bad for a first try."

"Sid, how could you let him do that?" the trio looked back to see Uncle Fungus waddling up to them. He smacked his nephew in the back of his head. "Bernie could have been hurt!"

"Ahh, he's fine, Uncle Fungus! See?" he also motioned towards the group. Bernie stumbled about and flopped down on Ben who had given up all hopes in trying to walk. Uncle Fungus glared at Sid who smiled nervously, edging away slowly before he was smacked again. Manny ignored Sid and looked at the elder sloth.

"So, what did you four plan on doing out here anyway?" he asked Uncle Fungus.

"We were looking for a new home."

"Oh, the wolf infested territory was a great choice." Diego added sarcastically.

"Keep pushing it, cat." Uncle Fungus said, both were still exchanging glares. Sid frowned and came between them.

"Aww let's not fight. Do you want to be separated? Do you?" Diego and Uncle Fungus rolled their eyes and turned away reluctantly due to Sid's intervention.

"It's not my fault he's so grouchy," the elder sloth grumbled, crossing his arms. "Personally I believe it's due to his inability to attract a female properly."

Diego's ears twitched. "What was that, sloth?"

"And I thought tigers had good hearing." Uncle Fungus sneered, "My own nephew can converse with Cindy better than you could with that she-saber!"

Now, Uncle Fungus could care less of Diego's love life, or lack thereof, but he knew it was a stab to the tiger's ego, and Diego had a lot of that. Apparently he had pressed the right buttons for the tiger snarled, in turn making the sloth smirk in triumph. Diego didn't know why it made him so angry and now the fact Uncle Fungus knew he got a one-up on him (not to mention his smug look) made his temper flare up more. Sid, fearing for his own life, still did the best he could to keep between the two arguing figures. Manny shook his head, slightly amused but decided to lighten up the mood.

"Oh come on, the day Sid attracts a female is the day I lose all my fur."

"Then ya better hope we have a warm winter, Manny ol' pal." Sid beamed with confidence.

"Where is Cindy anyway?" Uncle Fungus asked.

"With Ellie." Sid responded. Manny looked around realizing he hadn't seen the shemmoth recently and was now growing concerned.

"Well, where's Ellie?" Manny asked.

* * *

"No! Ellie, no!" Adah protested, batting at the shemmoth's trunk with her paw, claws retracted so she wouldn't cause her friend any harm. Ellie only smiled as she continued to reach for the panicked tigress. Behind her, Cindy giggled, just as amused as the shemmoth. Adah did not find this amusing at all. "I said no!"

"Oh, don't be such a scaredy-cat!" Cindy teased.

"I'm not afraid, I'm cautious! You're not going to roll me down that hill on that log. Ah! Ellie!" Again Adah protested, ducking Ellie's trunk and batting it away. She then ran to a nearby tree, climbing up into the branches. Ellie blinked and she couldn't help but laugh. It reminded her of when they first met Ben.

"Okay, okay." Ellie finally conceded, dropping her trunk. Cindy only giggled more when Adah sighed in relief. Ellie also chuckled, realizing how easy it would have been to simply pluck out the tree the saber was in and roll it down the hill, but the shemmoth knew it would be cruel to Adah. She exhaled a big sigh, trying to earn sympathy from her friend. "Alright, if you don't want to join us, we'll meet you down below."

"Maybe next time, huh, Adah?" Cindy looked up the tree and winked. Adah said nothing as she watched the sloth waddle after Ellie who was already getting situated on the log.

"Ready, Cindy?" Ellie asked, helping the she-sloth up onto her back with her trunk.

"Ready!" she responded, getting a good grip on the shemmoth's woolly fur.

"WOOHOO!" Ellie cried out, their forms quickly vanishing as the log rolled downhill.

"They're both crazy!" Adah gaped. _And how in the world does she keep from breaking that log?_

* * *

The four animals downhill looked up yonder to see a reddish blur zoom downhill on a log. Ellie waved with her trunk as she passed them, all caught a glimpse of Cindy riding on top of her back.

"Hi Sidney!" Cindy called. Sid waved back and then flinched as another crash was heard as soon as the two females vanished into a grouping of trees. The tree they had collided into rattled, which sent birds flying off, cawing frantically.

"We better check if they're alright." Manny said. Sid was already waddling off to the crash site while Uncle Fungus decided to retrieve Bernie before Crash and Eddie decided to take them on another death ride. Diego watched Sid walk off and snickered a bit.

"You better hope your fur doesn't fall off, Manny," the tiger said jokingly, "Looks like Sid might actually surprise us this time."

"Yeah, well, it looks like he'll be able to do something better than you, for once." the mammoth retorted before walking after Sid. Diego frowned, smarting from that comment, his pride being struck again. He mumbled and walked off in the opposite direction.

"When did this turn into contest?" he asked to himself.

* * *

"Whoa, Tala, did you see dat?" Tate asked, motioning with his paw to the spectacle Ellie and Cindy provided with their stunt. He tilted his head. "You think dey will be alright? What sort of training is dat?"

"Not training; playing." Tala corrected her subordinate, she too tilted her head. "What an odd sort of game."

"No kiddin'!" the golden-furred wolf chuckled. "I'd like to try dat sometime though."

"Try it somewhere else." came another voice. The two wolves turned sharply to see Diego walking up to them. They jumped to their feet and eyed him cautiously, and he did the same. "Get lost."

Tala shook her head. "I'm afraid we cannot do that. We're on a recon mission."

"Yeah, dat means we're-"

"I know what it means, mutt-face." Diego growled at Tate. "I'm not stupid."

"Could have fooled me, kitty litta'." Tate glared.

"Look who's talking, I wasn't the one who charged at a mammoth."

"Yeah, and you're the one traveling with them!"

Diego's hackles rose and he stepped slowly towards Tate, making him take a pace back. "Ya got a problem with that?"

Tala stepped up in front of Tate, making the wolf's ego deflate. Having a female come to his defense was degrading even if she was his commanding officer. Diego stared at her and Tala never wavered, showing no fear, but unlike Tate, she wasn't challenging him.

"Forgive the lieutenant," she turned her head slightly to give Tate a glare, "He can be rash. We are not planning to make a meal out of any of your companions. We are on the lookout for a pack of wolves, renegades, banished from our own."

"Uh huh." Diego said indifferently.

"Don't waste yer breath on dis kitty, Tala. He doesn't care."

"You're right, I don't." he said, and the tiger and wolf exchanged glares once again.

"Maybe you'll care to listen now," Tala warned. "This group is after someone in your herd."

"Thanks for the warning. Now here is yours: Stay away from my herd." he growled then began walking off. Tate took a few steps ahead of Tala and barked at Diego.

"Yeah, keep walking kitty litta'! Don't turn around."

Diego spun back on Tate, roaring, his lips curled showing off his large saber teeth. Tate yipped and dove behind Tala who shook her head. Diego smirked and walked off again.

"You embarrass yourself, lieutenant." Tala scolded.

"Did you see da size of those teeth!"

"Hence why they are called saber-tooths, lieutenant."

"I knew that." Tate replied lamely.

Tala moved away, denying Tate his refuge from the tiger. He stood up and watched her leave the area and followed after her.

"Where are we going?"

"To look for an area to bed down for the night, it's getting darker." Tate looked up and realized the sky had changed into its more impressive evening colors of orange and pink. "Despite Mr. Sunshine's threat, we need to keep an eye on this group."

Tate snickered at Tala's nickname for Diego, and then blinked. "Threat? I thought it was a warning."

"No, Tate, it was a threat. So do your best not to rile up the kitty." she looked back, and Tate gulped.


	18. Chapter 18: Location, location, location

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN:** "_Location, location, location_"

Night had settled in. The sky waned from its orange and pink colors to a blue-indigo shade, cloudless, and still as the animals that slept below. The moon rose up from behind the glacier walls, throwing a soft white sheen over the frozen ice as well as lighting up the dark-blue sky to a smoky color, giving more light. Elsewhere, the herd delighted in the warm, orange light that came from the fire Sid was now known for making. It was inside a cave the herd had settled in for the night. Sid's family had no problems sleeping in a cave, and it was spacious so no one would feel cramped when two mammoths came in to join them.

Before joining the others, Sid had convinced Ben to partake in a prank the sloth had concocted. The cub agreed, and as planned, he headed into the cave, carrying Sid by the neck. Sid feigned death, hoping it would get a reaction out of his family, but the prank backfired. Ben found his taste unbearable, and he gagged, spitting the sloth out of his mouth. The flop itself ended up being the entertaining part, as everyone laughed. Sid took it as consolation despite his embarrassment and sat in-between Manny and Ellie, much to Manny's further dismay. Cindy had already taken a spot beside Ellie, and now having Sid sitting between them annoyed him more. Ellie didn't seem to mind so Manny kept quiet for her sake.

On Ellie's other side sat Rose, Bernie, and Uncle Fungus. Bernie had snuggled with his mother, but then decided to join Crash, Eddie, and Ben in play. Uncle Fungus had already dozed off, the curmudgeon of a sloth snoring (more quietly than Sid) on a bark slab he had dragged in earlier. Adah rested on the opposite side of the fire near the spot Ben was playing, quietly keeping an eye on him. The only one who was not inside the cave was Diego, who kept a look out for Tate and Tala.

"My goodness," Rose started as she rubbed her feet. "We've never walked this much before. Sloths aren't built for long distance traveling."

"Yeah, well you get used to it after a while." Sid added.

"Get used to what?" Manny added, "Most of the time you ride on my back."

"We sloths are adaptable, that's all." Sid grinned, then screamed as he dodged Manny's swinging trunk.

"It looks like he still needs to adjust to it." Cindy giggled, looking at Uncle Fungus who stirred in his sleep from the noise Sid made.

"Jeez." Uncle Fungus snorted, rubbing his eyes as he rose from his bark slab bed. "Can't you keep quiet for once, Sid?"

"Now you know what we have to deal with." Manny said, smirking slightly as he caught a side glimpse of Sid sticking his tongue out. "Even when he sleeps he's still loud."

"Oh, Sidney, I told you sleeping on a bed of moss would help your snoring." Rose spoke. "Those rocks you use are too harsh for your sensitive back."

"Awww, ma" Sid whined, embarrassed he was being instructed in front of his friends. Across the fire, Crash and Eddie snickered.

"Momma's boy! Momma's boy!" they chanted.

"Hey, look who's talking!" Ellie smirked, coming to Sid's defense. "As I recall, you cried for mom when you got stuck in the tree branches."

"It was a high branch..." Eddie added in defensively.

"It was the second branch from the ground." Ellie corrected.

"Yeah, and that was pretty high for a baby possum!" Crash added. Ben and Bernie snickered this time, and in response the two possums tackled them.

Rose smiled, watching the others in their commotion, admiring the camaraderie Sid's herd had among each other. Like her brother, she was more used to being around other sloths, but a couple of days among the mammoths, possums, and even tigers, she found herself more at ease with them. Her failing eyesight denied her a more clear vision of them all, but she could still tell they were nice animals. She especially liked Manfred and Diego. She was used to their tough exteriors because Uncle Fungus was similar in nature; rough on the outside, but with a heart of jell-o. And despite all their teasing and taunts, Rose knew Sid had friends for life.

Then there was Ellie. Even though she was a mammoth, Ellie was someone Rose began to see as a daughter figure. It didn't mean she loved Cindy any less. Rose also considered the other sloth as one of her own. Those two had become fast friends, and they were almost inseparable unless Sid came into the picture. The elderly female sloth quietly released a sigh, smiling a motherly smile as she watched Sid and Cindy talk. Rose honestly believed her son would never find a mate. He was so flighty when it came to females, and he never had luck keeping their attention. Cindy managed to click with her son, and though Sid was still his ever-so-awkward self, she never drew away. She only became more interested, and closer to Rose's son.

Glancing around, Rose's poor line of sight fell on the grey saber. Like always, she kept to herself while the others talked. Even though Adah was the quietest among the herd, she was kind whenever Rose spoke with her. She and Diego proved to the old sloth that predators were not always savage and hungry as everyone believed. Ellie and Cindy were always trying to encourage Adah to join them in whatever game they had planned, but she always declined, standing apart from the group with aloof dignity.

The grey saber was more withdrawn than before, and Rose would catch her glancing in Diego's direction when she thought no one was looking. Rose was half-blind but she didn't need keen eyesight to see what was going on. The sloth kept her head down, as to hide her growing smile from the saber. Rose mused, Adah was not like Cindy or Ellie in the way they approached Sid and Manfred. Then again, the object of her growing affections was not like either of them in the least. Rose looked to the mouth of the cave and saw Diego sitting outside. The tiger was cunning in guarding his thoughts, in the way he carried himself, and in the way he talked. Pride kept him from faltering.

However, there was the old saying "_Pride goeth before the fall_".

Rose felt she owed her son and his friends a reprieve from their company. She knew they kept to themselves for her sake more than anything since she and Uncle Fungus were the elders. Rose knew very well young couples were more at ease when their elders were gone, even if the elders were sloths and the latter were not. Rose stretched and stood up to her feet, earning the attention of the other herd members.

"Rose?" Uncle Fungus started.

"It's a lovely, cool night outside." she started, "I was thinking of going out for some fresh air. Why don't we forage for tomorrow's breakfast while we're at it?"

The mention of food caught Bernie's attention. "Can I come?"

"Of course you can, Bernie." Rose walked past the fire and waved to the others as she left the cave with Bernie and Uncle Fungus in tow.

"What are you up to, Rose?" her brother asked once they were out of earshot. Rose waved a claw, smiling innocently.

"I'm just setting the mood. From my experience, its all about the location." She smiled. Uncle Fungus couldn't help but smile as well; it was apparent where Sid got his meddling nature from. He saw how his nephew so poorly tried to play match-maker to his friends, although Rose was more subtle in her ways, and more efficient. He remembered she would call it a female's touch.

* * *

"Rose has the right idea." Ellie said, rising to her feet. "Are you coming, Adah?"

"No, I think I'll stay here." she replied. "You and Manny enjoy the evening."

The shemmoth felt her skin flush, embarrassed that her plan was not so subtle. She heard Manny behind her getting up and looked over her shoulder to see him heading to the cave entrance. He didn't seem to object to her plan, so all was good. Crash and Eddie teased their sister by making cooing and smooching noises. Ellie made her way around the fire, and lightly bopped her brothers on their heads.

"Aww Ellie! We were just having some fun!" Crash whined, rubbing his head.

"Yeah, well just for that you two are heading to bed!"

"AHH NO!" They both shouted and hid behind Ben who looked up at Ellie pleadingly. Adah smiled and shook her head.

"You have until the high-moon then you get to bed!" Ellie pointed at them with her trunk, eying her brothers critically

"Yes ma'am." both possums nodded. They had their hands behind their backs, with their fingers crossed. Ben stifled a chuckle but it gave Ellie the hint they were lying.

"Or else I'll let Adah toss you outside to the wolves." she added. Crash and Eddie looked at Ben to see if Ellie was bluffing about the cub's companion, but even Ben looked at Adah. The tigress grinned to back Ellie up on her threat.

"That goes for you as well, Ben." Adah added.

This time all three gulped and nodded as Ellie left after Manny. Crash and Eddie glanced over at Adah who walked past them casually to lie near the fire. All three of them looked to one another, wondering if what the females said was a bluff or not.

"It is a nice night out." Cindy said, looking at Sid "What do you say, Sidney? Why don't we go join the others?"

"Sounds good." he nodded, and rubbed his tummy. "I could use a night-time snack."

Cindy stood up and grabbed Sid by his arm, leading him out. They passed by Diego who was still sitting out by the entrance. Sid looked back and waved with his free arm.

"Enjoy the evening, buddy!" he chimed.

"Have a goodnight, Diego!" Cindy even waved goodbye before waddling off. Sid slipped away from her for a moment and as soon as she was out of ear shot he grinned at Diego.

"What?" Diego found himself asking. He didn't like the look on Sid's face and guessed he wasn't going to get a well-liked answer either.

"_Looking for love in all the cold places_!" he sang while pointing towards the cave, as if trying to hint at something. Diego grimaced causing Sid to yelp, and he rushed after Cindy.

The tiger sighed, shaking his head as he lay down. He growled to himself, finding that after Sid's taunts he couldn't help but glance back to see Adah. Apparently she was thinking the same thing and their gazes locked for a few moments before they tore their heads away. Already he was scanning the area to see if Sid was indeed gone and hopefully did not see what had just happened.

"This is going to be a long night..." He muttered.

* * *

The sloths had wandered far from the encampment, weaving through the trees in the area, rummaging through the beds of fallen leaves, and under rocks. They looked for whatever they could find, from fresh to rotten fruits, foliage, and moss. Rose, with her bad eyesight, often went for the wrong things if her brother did not guide her constantly.

"Oh, how about this one, Fungus?" Rose inquired, heading for what she saw as a ripe melon. Uncle Fungus quickly led her away from what really was a bee's nest.

"No, no, Rose. It's...uhm...not ripe." he said.

"Oh darn, and it looked so delicious too." Rose sighed. Uncle Fungus smiled a bit, while keeping a close eye on his sister; he didn't realize Bernie had wandered off. "What a lovely area, don't you think? If that cave we were in had a spring, I think I could call this place home."

"Maybe," Uncle Fungus waddled after Rose who continued her search for anything edible. "As nice as it is, there isn't a single trace of water around here. I'd like a water source within waddling distance, thank you."

Rose chuckled softly but then a snapping noise startled the two sloths. Their necks turned in the direction it came from only to see Cindy leading Sid by his arm. Cindy waved at the relieved sloths that waddled up to meet them.

"What are you two doing way out here?" Uncle Fungus asked.

"We wanted to join you guys." Sid replied, already scanning the area for possible food. "Find anything yet?"

"And if we have, we're not letting you eat it until tomorrow morning, Sid!" his uncle scowled. Sid cowered behind Cindy who frowned at Uncle Fungus.

"Be nice, Uncle Fungus." she scolded lightly, and paused. "Where's Bernie?"

"Oh Bernie fell asleep under that tree." Rose nodded.

Uncle Fungus realized then Bernie was indeed missing, and immediately looked where she had pointed, knowing the chances of her being wrong were high. And he was right; the shape she mistook Bernie for was nothing but a small boulder. Not wanting to panic, and send his sister into one, he calmly scanned the area for the little sloth. It was nightfall, and he knew the child had enough sense to stick near the group. He caught the sound of rustling leaves and spotted his figure behind some trees.

"No he's not, he's over there," Uncle Fungus sighed in relief and began waddling after him. "Bernie! Bernie, get back here now!"

The figure stopped and his small neck turned to look back. Even with the moonlight, Uncle Fungus had a hard time seeing Bernie in the distance. Instead of listening to him, he started walking off again, and the elder sloth blinked in astonishment.

"You're asking for it now!" Uncle Fungus growled, waddling faster. Sid and Cindy kept after him while guiding Rose who decided to join in. Perhaps a gentler coaxing from his mother would convince the young sloth to return.

"Bernie, please!" she called, her claws cupped over her mouth. "It's dangerous to be on your own like this! Momma found you a nice ripe melon to eat!"

Soon, Sid and Cindy joined, but the figure of the little sloth continued on, somehow eluding the group no matter how fast they waddled. He led them out of the safety of the trees and headed for a large jagged rock wall that seemed to stretch on forever. The group of sloths stopped at the small cave hole they spotted Bernie walking into. Sid stepped up and stuck his head inside. The opening was large enough to crawl into so he continued on. The others exchanged glances before following Sid.

Finally reaching the other end, the group squeezed out of the small rock opening expecting to find Bernie, but all they found was something entirely new. Within the confines of the rock wall laid a mini-valley of sorts. Strange rock formations stood over the area, littered with several geysers and mud pits. Small trees and bushes lined up against the rocks, with a few scattering in the middle of the valley area. It was quiet, with no signs of anything living there, not even the young sloth they had been looking for.

"Bernie, this isn't funny anymore!" Sid huffed.

"What's not funny?"

"AHHH!" they all screamed, Sid shouting the highest, and jumping into Uncle Fungus' arms. Behind them, coming out of the cave opening was Bernie who stared at them, confused. Uncle Fungus huffed and dropped Sid to the ground who groaned on impact.

"Bernie?" Cindy gaped. "We've been looking for you!"

"I was following you guys." Bernie said. "Momma said she had a melon for me, but you guys kept walking further and further."

"You've been following us?" Rose asked her little son. He nodded, while the others stared at each other.

"Then who were we chasing?" asked Sid aloud.

"Wow neat place!" his little brother shouted, squeezing his way through the adults to get a clearer view. "These guys have great taste!"

"Guys?" the adult sloths turned around to face the same direction Bernie was facing. Just ahead of them, a fairly large and colorful group of animals stared at them with their big, googly eyes.

"MINI-SLOTHS! AHHHH!" Sid screamed again, ducking in between his mother, uncle, and Cindy.

"AHHHHH!" echoed the unified cry of the mini-sloths. They went into thunderous cheering, hopping up and down, and throwing their hands in the air. Rose and Cindy yelped, holding onto one another as the mini-sloths crowded around the group. Bernie smiled eager to meet them but he was yanked back by Uncle Fungus who glared at the little sloths. The mini-sloths ignored them for a moment and gathered around Sid who covered his face with his claws. Moments passed before Sid finally peeked through his claws, and found himself staring into the eyes of a familiar little lavender-colored mini-sloth.

"Fire-king return!" she cheered. The others echoed her declaration with hoots of their own, causing Sid's family to flinch. Sid quickly stood up and held his hands up, motioning them to keep away. The lavender mini-sloth pointed to his family standing behind Sid and shouted to the others. "Fire-king brings servants!"

Again there were more cries. The others stared at Sid, wondering how in the world they knew him and why they were calling him by this name. They huddled more closely together as the crowd began to converge on them.

"STO-P!" Sid held up his claws higher, and the mini-sloths stopped instantly. "They aren't servants! They're my family!"

The mini-sloths stared at Sid and then his family. Thinking he had gotten through to them, Sid opened his mouth to speak again but the lavender mini-sloth held up her hands this time. She turned to face the rest of the crowd and shouted in loud declaration.

"ALL HAIL THE ROYAL FAMILY!" The mini-sloths cheered wildly again, leaping into the air, and once again closed in on Sid and his family.

* * *

**A/N**: First chapter for 2007! YAY! Okay, I know a few people have asked for mushiness, and I'm happy people like my couple ideas. I ask for a little patience! Mushiness will come in the next chapters. I'm not sure how I'd rate myself as a romance writer but we'll see XD For now, please enjoy this chapter and once again thanks for all your comments

Lastly, I'd like you to head over to my profile. There you will find a new link that will take you to my photobucket. That is my last thank you gift to you all. I've been working on making screencaps for both Ice Age, and Ice Age: The Meltdown for your eye-candy needs! If you want to look at my doodles that's fine XD I stashed a few old Ice Age works there (and you can find some other stuff like Naruto) All I ask is if you plan to use any of these images, I would appreciate if you gave me credit. I worked hard on it all, enjoy!


	19. Chapter 19: Minisloth Blitz

**CHAPTER 19:** "_Mini-sloth Blitz_"

The night was cool and pleasant, as the moon and fireflies gave off a soothing ambiance. Manny thought it was simply too convenient with the surroundings and Ellie's sudden urge to take a walk, but he wasn't about to complain. It was the first time since the herd's new additions was he able to spend some more quality time with Ellie. He was really glad she was able to make her own friends in Rose, Cindy, and Adah, but with having recently establishing his companionship with her, Manfred was feeling a little jealous when Ellie's attention was not on him. So he knew he had to savor this night because who knew when he would get the next chance to have a romantic walk like this.

As they walked, Ellie also took the opportunity to ask more about what mammoths do. The shemmoth had an odd interest in uprooting trees, Manny noted. He couldn't blame her though. After believing she was a possum all her life, (one of the lowest creatures on the food chain just above a Scrat), it was no surprise that tearing down trees gave her quite the power trip. Ellie thought about how it would be a great wake-up call for when Crash and Eddie refused to wake up in the mornings. Ellie was also fascinated by the sheer brute strength she and Manny possessed yet, also showing a gentle, almost careful side in their nature.

Manny proving so as he gingerly plucked a flower from the grass with his trunk, offering it to her. "Uhh...here, Ellie." he said shyly. Romance was not his thing.

"Aww how sweet!" She lit up, taking the flower carefully in her own trunk. "Thank you, Manny!"

He smiled, but then stared at her in surprise as she stuffed the small morsel in her mouth, chewing thoughtfully, studying the taste. The larger mammoth couldn't help but smile, and shook his head.

"You really are something else, Ellie."

"What?"

"Nothing," He smiled, trying to hide it behind his trunk.

She smirked back and shouldered into him, making sure not to completely knock him off balance. Manny regained his footing and continued walking while Ellie decided to wrap her trunk around his much to his shock and delight. In response, Manny gave her trunk a gentle, affectionate squeeze. The two mammoths continued walking in comfortable silence, Ellie rocking their trunks playfully as they went before finally speaking.

"What are we going to do once we head north?" she asked

He shrugged. "We'll probably stop and find a temporary home before its time to move back south for the winter."

Ellie nodded, then glanced back to look at the surroundings. Her trunk still entwined with his, Manny's head was slightly yanked as she moved. "This place would be nice if it had a water source nearby. Maybe we could find one."

"Yeah." he replied, relieved Ellie decided to look forward again, giving him leeway in his neck. "So you're not upset about...you know...the whole situation with our...guests?"

"Of course not, Manny, they're all so great!"

He really wasn't sure if he could see Sid's family or the two tigers as permanent members of their group. It wasn't a club that demanded special requirements; he just never figured anyone else would join after Ellie and her brothers. However it seemed Sid's family had their own goal in finding a permanent home. The sloth family only traveled with the group till they had found an area with suitable protection from predators. The longer they stayed the more closer Sid became with Cindy, and it made him wonder if the sloth would choose to stay with them when the day came for his family to part ways. Adah and Ben had a lost pack to find, and his guesses were they were not ready to give up hope for them yet. Thinking of the two sabers, his thoughts fell on Diego. He knew Diego was just being stubborn when it came to Adah. He should know; Manny had troubles coming to terms with the attraction he felt with Ellie. Of course his situation was entirely different. When he believed he was on the brink of extinction, he _needed _to get over his pride in order to make some connection with the female mammoth.

Dwelling on the possibilities of his friends' future, he didn't notice Ellie's trunk slip away from him. She explored the area while he was still in deep thought. Manny pondered about his future; one with Ellie. It was not only pride he had to let go when connecting with Ellie, but the horrible sense of guilt and betrayal. It was the feeling that he still had of unfinished obligation for his first family. A family that was gone.

_"You can have it again, you know."_

_"No, Sid. I CAN'T."_

His short-lived conversation with Sid echoed in his mind. Sid was right, and Manny was right. He could have another family, but it would not be the same as his first. The mammoth knew it. He could not compare his first mate to Ellie. He had made a decision not to tell her of his past mate, and their life together. Manny couldn't bear having Ellie feel as if she had expectations to live up to. As if his first mate set a standard and she had to follow or surpass it. No, he wanted Ellie to be Ellie and no one else. He cared for her deeply, and in time he hoped they could have a family. It may not be like his first, but it would be one he'd love and protect all the same.

The sound of heavy cracking brought the mammoth back to his senses and he saw Ellie uprooting a dead tree. With a grunt, she lifted up the tree trunk with the weight of it supported by her tusks. Manny blinked as she made her way past him.

"Uh, Ellie?" he followed after her. "What are you doing?"

She dropped the trunk down before her. Looking ahead, Manny could see the terrain sloping downhill. It seems she was up for another round of log-rolling. Ellie looked at him, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

"Meet you on the other end!" and with that she shoved off on the tree log. Rolling down and keeping incredible balance despite her large size. Manny couldn't help but feel panicked, not wanting her to hurt herself.

"Ellie!" he cried out. "Ellie wait!"

Manny huffed, looking from side to side. There was no flat, safer trail to walk in order to meet her downhill.

"Oy." he sighed again, and walked back.

"OOMF!" followed by a loud thud came as soon as Ellie collided with the ground. She stood on all fours and shook the dirt off her, and brushing whatever had caught in her poofy hair with her trunk. She looked back up and saw that Manny was gone. He must have gone to look for another way down. She began to feel a little guilty since the mammoth was rather reluctant when it came to spontaneous things so Ellie decided to meet up with him instead. Before she started looking for a way uphill she heard and soon saw something that shocked her completely.

"Manny?" Ellie exclaimed.

The dark-colored mammoth frantically struggled to keep on top of the fast rolling log as it sped downhill. She flinched as he came to a crashing halt, slamming into one of the trees at the bottom. Ellie raced to him only to find Manny staggering to his feet, and the log he rode down on was broken in half, crushed from the weight of his collision.

"Sid doesn't get to hear about this. _Ever_. Whoa!" He managed to say before almost tripping. Ellie chuckled and stood beside him for support. She nuzzled him as he regained balance, her trunk wrapping around his again.

"For a mammoth, you are one extreme possum." she giggled.

* * *

Diego rested outside, enjoying the cool night air while listening to Ben and the possums play. The trio frisked around the cave with Adah quietly watching them. Crash and Eddie were thrilled over how much time Ellie had given them before bedtime, but both possums were losing fuel drastically with the energy they spent. An hour had not even passed since the others left and they were already yawning. Soon their play time ended and Crash and Eddie went outside to gather some leaf-bedding to use to sleep in the cave. They were too afraid to sleep outside in a tree.

Ben followed them out of the cave and sat by the entrance as the brothers climbed up one tree. The cub looked over to Diego who didn't spare him one glance.

"Hey Diego?" he spoke, and Diego slightly shifted his head in Ben's direction. "You think we could go on another hunting lesson again?"

"You think you can wake up at the crack of dawn?" he asked, and saw Ben lower his head in response. "I thought so."

"During midday?" the cub asked again, hopeful. Diego let out a small sigh and shook his head, smirking a bit despite himself.

"Sure, kid." he replied. "I'm not going to go easy on you this time though."

"Ben, come on inside." Adah's voice called and Ben looked back to see her while Diego refrained. She kept within the cave's mouth. "It's time for bed."

The cub didn't object, only agreeing by letting out a yawn. He shook his head and turned to go in after Adah. Shortly after, Crash and Eddie returned with armfuls of leaves and Diego lowered his ears as he saw the two of them grinning. Couldn't they head off to bed instead of putting their annoying attention on him?

"Hey, Eddie," Crash spoke out loud, acting nonchalant. "I was wondering, do you think Diego here purrs?"

Eddie rubbed his chin but his arm snapped back to keep his leaf pile from dropping. "That is a very good question, Crash. Let's ask Diego."

"I don't purr." Diego answered matter-of-factly. He knew he was an idiot for falling into their little game, but he couldn't hold his pride back. "Cubs, and females purr, but males don't."

"What do you do then?" Eddie asked, genuinely curious.

"I growl in content."

Crash grinned, daring to go further. He spoke a little lower this time so the occupants in the cave couldn't hear "Does _she_ make you _growl_, Diego?"

Eddie snickered loudly, unable to cover his mouth with the leaves in his arms. The tiger bristled and his teeth bared slightly, a low growl rising. Crash joined his brother's snickering upon hearing it and whispered again.

"Aww is the tiger 'purring'?" he asked.

"No." Diego gave them a hard glare and the possums gulped. "Get to bed."

Eddie, being the slightly smarter one of the duo, promptly shoved into his brother to head towards the cave. They ran under Adah's legs as she walked out of the cave. She looked back to see the possums joining Ben who was sleeping soundly near the dying fire. The saber turned her head away and walked out into the cool night air. Diego quietly watched Adah as she rested on the ground saying nary a word to him.

Moments passed and it was still quiet, save for the night-time songs of the nocturnal creatures. For the time being, the two sabers avoided making eye contact. Suddenly Diego remembered when Sid encouraged him to talk to her, and he was more annoyed he was even _considering_ it. They haven't really spoken since the time he took Ben on his hunting lesson. Even when they joined the herd he had no problem in avoiding her since the others were around. Now they were gone, leaving them together. _Alone._

_Dang it, whose idea was it to leave in the first place? _He thought to himself, cursing that he didn't pay attention to the earlier conversation inside the cave. _It was definitely not Sid's idea. This set up is too cunning for him._

Glancing over, he spotted Adah staring off elsewhere, her head resting down on her paws. He didn't want to seem rude so for the moment he tried to think of something to say, albeit reluctantly at first. Nothing came to mind, but the snoring in the cave made Diego think of a topic Adah might talk about.

"He's a good kid." he said. She looked at him, a little confused. Diego motioned towards the cave entrance. "Ben, I mean."

Adah didn't say anything. Her gaze left him to glance to the cave and Diego found himself to be somewhat disappointed. _It_ _seems like she's still mad with me. Can she hold a grudge, or what?_

"Yeah, he is." came her reply, gaining his attention this time. Okay, so this was unexpected, but Diego didn't let it show he was caught off guard. He saw her gaze drift off elsewhere, and he was unsure why, but he suddenly wanted to keep her attention.

"What's the thing between you and him?" he asked. Adah turned again. She was surprised like she had been during the time Ellie tried to make conversation.

"Well, you can tell it's obvious we're not related, but I helped in taking care of him since he was a weanling cub. He was so small when I first met him." she looked down, seemingly lost in memory, but shook it off. "Even if he's not family I always saw him like a baby brother. Without a pack to support you it's hard to keep an eye on him sometimes."

"I'm sorry about that." Diego didn't know why he was apologizing, though he suddenly remembered how blunt and cold he was towards Ben who was still coping with the loss. "The kid told me you two were planning to head north."

Adah nodded. "What about you guys?"

"As far as we can till we find a place we're happy with." he shrugged. His ears twitched as he heard Adah chuckling softly, lightheartedly. He felt himself responding, almost defensively. "What?"

"It's nothing really. I guess I'm surprised to see your nice side." she answered, her anxiety was slowly vanishing. Diego stared at her, feeling taunted by her remark. Her small smile seemed innocent enough, but her eyes were still laughing at him. Her eyes were nothing of interest, dull blue in color, but now they had vibrancy in them. They seemed to bait him, and he took it with a smirk.

"I was thinking the same about you."

* * *

Sid's family was astonished, but slowly they enjoyed the praise and attention the mini-sloths showered. Food was prepared and placed before them on a log/banquet table and even Uncle Fungus couldn't object to it. Fruits, berries, nut-pods, and honey combs were presented to them, and they all ate in earnest. The only one who did not gorge on the food was Sid, who sat in the middle in his own specially made chair provided by the mini-sloths. He was still a little nervous and afraid the mini-tribe would change their minds and sacrifice his family to some other deity. It still appeared they worshiped him as Fire-King and as long as it was so, his family would be treated like royalty as the mini-chief had declared.

Then again, it was possible they learned their lesson. After the "bad juju" caused by the mere attempt of sacrificing their king, the mini-sloths could only imagine the amount of bad juju caused if they ever decided to off the entire family.

Lavender, so rightfully called due to her pelt, was chief of the mini-sloths. Sid remembered her especially, being the one to announce his title to the others, as well as ordering his sacrifice. She was very gracious to him and his family now, acting as if nothing happened, maybe trying to make up for her blasphemous mistake. The other mini-sloths danced and sang their songs while she stood beside their log-table; keeping a constant vigil, ready to meet the needs of the royal family should they ask for it.

Sid never knew how...prosperous the mini-sloths were. Setting up what looked like a village, each sloth had some sort of job in their little group. An actual shaman was appointed as keeper of the fire and was responsible for lighting all the brands in their little "village" and keeping them lit. Several mini-sloths even raised bojo birds, raising chicks and collecting their eggs, as soon as they were old enough to lay, for their own means of provender. They even had their own cooks who served the "royal family". They were particularly proud of their new "Fire Soup", inspired by the advent of their Fire-king, of course.

No one seemed to notice Sid's unusual state of mind (it was already unusual to begin with) and they all seemed to enjoy the festivities. Encouraged by this, the mini-sloths put more vigor into their dance, cheering louder than before. Sid was pulled out his thoughts as he felt his arm being grabbed. He looked to see Cindy tugging lightly, urging him out of his chair. He looked at her stupidly.

"Come on, Sidney!" she smiled, already dragging him out of his seat completely. "I want to dance, it looks like fun!"

"Dance?" he blinked.

Sid saw the mini-sloths parting a path as they walked into the crowds. Their path guided them to a small formation; two pillar-shaped rocks, circular and flat on the top. Cindy climbed up onto one and Sid followed her example and climbed the other. The two rock pillars were connected by a small bridge, forming an arc the mini-sloths danced under. Sid grinned, suddenly remembering his small moment in glory of how he led the mini-tribe into dance. Grinning, he looked to Cindy.

"You wanna dance huh?"

She nodded, and he buffered his claws on his chest. "Watch the master and learn!"

Sid kicked off the dance by doing the first thing that came to his mind. He hopped on one foot and turned around while shouting "Coo, coo, ca-choo!"

It was more of an improv game to Sid than an actual dance. The mini-sloths did the rest; turning his gibberish into musical cadence, and quite skillfully too he might add. Cindy watched, amazed, as the mini-sloths copied his movements and spoke his words in their own rhythmic tribal chant. She looked at Sid who stood watching her, and the mini-tribe stared as well. She blinked. Was this how it was supposed to be done? The she-sloth took a deep breath, a bit nervous, but also excited to try.

_Here goes nothing!_

"Mana-mana!" she cried while hopping along the little arc bridge and back to her spot. The mini-sloths copied her this time, chanting "manna-manna" and shouting "Doot doo, dee doo doo" at the end. She giggled; encouraged to try more, but it was Sid's turn.

He strutted across the bridge doing the Egyptian walk while going "Way-oh-way-oh-way-ooo-aaa-ooo". Again the mini-sloths mimicked, and Cindy continued in a heartbeat. She was eager to show off her stuff and moon walked along the arc causing Sid's jaw to drop.

"Boom shakalaka! Boom shakalaka!"

"Boom shaka-laka-laka!" they chanted and busted into conveniently choreographed dance.

Cindy didn't go back to her spot this time and joined Sid on his platform. She grabbed his claw and yanked him to join the dance. Sid smiled his goofy smile and took her claws in his and obliged. They danced across the arc from one platform to the other while the mini-sloths done the same below. They repeated their earlier cries into a musical session followed by hoots, chants, and whistles. As the two larger sloths danced, Sid caught glimpses of his mother, and Bernie among the group of smaller sloths. Even Uncle Fungus was dragged into the fray by over-excited tribe-sloths despite his protests. Sid and Cindy waved down to them and soon the dance came to its big finish.

The mini-sloths were incredible pyrotechnics, as a group of them formed a pinnacle and the sloths on the ground lit up geysers with small brands of torches. The geysers ignited one by one, forming a path of light till the last ones lit exploded behind Sid and Cindy in a dazzling display, which caused her to yelp in surprise. Everyone cheered at the spectacle, and even more for their two lead dancers. Lavender was among the head of the crowd, lifting her claws to the air, and shouting.

"ALL HAIL FIRE-KING AND FIRE-QUEEN!" The others let out wild shouts, jumping in the air and clapping their claws together. Even Sid's mother and little brother joined in. Sid and Cindy laughed, enjoying the fun, until what Lavender had set finally set into their brains.

"What!" the said "king" and "queen" gaped.

* * *

**A/N: **Hey everyone. People asked for mush, so there it is. Okay, so it's not "Can you feel the love" type mush, but I can only hope you'll enjoy it for now till the next chapters are up. Trying to write out a mini-sloth dance sequence is HARD. I have no originality in making my own song, so I spoofed off several, "Mrs. Robinson", "Walk like an Egyptian", the muppet's version of "Mana-Mana" and The Muppets Treasure Island "Boom Shakalaka" XD Plus I was thinking about making a double chapter post on February 14th. What do you guys think?

Oh and I'm not going to apologize for the lateness of this chapter. I appreciate all of your feedback and PMs that ask for updates, but please be considerate. If you want to know why I was "lazy" or "neglectful", here is my reason: a friend, along with his family, died in a carwreck. I've been trying to get over the shock and sadness of it all. Normally I'd ignore PMs like that, but I've had enough of the rude requests for a fic thats not really a top priority in my life, so now I'm giving you a heads up. Please be polite, don't be quick to judge when you don't know the story.

As for my faithful readers and reviewers, thanks for being supportive and kind, and awesome. Loves to you!

So here's my attempt to reply to some of those reviews. If I didn't reply to yours I'll try next time!

**soaringphoenix86**: I hope the Diego/Adah bit in this chapter satisfies you for the time being. Don't worry I got more planned for the next chapters too::hugs!::

**bdlywrttn**: Hey buddy! Thanks for always dropping by, I'm glad we could become friends through our fics :) and hope we stay friends for a long time. Good luck with your new fic! (And shush, I think you write lovely romance scenes, you keep characters in...character!)

**Rebell** Mellon-nin? I learned a new word! Fun trivia :D Rose's plan turned out to work after all, yes? Buwhaha::hugs!::

**Prof. David** Ahah thanks Prof. David! I had to give the mini-sloths a scene...they are awesome and therefore needed to come back XD I based their new setting off the Ice Age2 video game, one of my favorite levels!

**AzureAquarius**: Awww you're making me blush! X3 I'm not that good of a writer but I'm glad you like this fic so much. And I would die a happy person if this story was related to their third movie in any shape, way or form ee

**eagle205**: Hi eagle205! Always appreciate your feedback! Being a Diego fan I hope you liked his scene X3

**Agent DieGo**: You don't need to apologize, Agent DieGo I understood your review! and thanks for dropping by to read my fic! (and good luck with your fic too!)

**MoonlitSorrow**: Thanks for dropping by! Its funny, I was kind of the same with the first movie. I enjoyed it but after the second one came out then my interest just grew!

**Baltoluver63: **Hey PM buddy! If you're reading this I hope you're enjoying the chapters! Sorry I haven't written to you in a while.

**Shincinati:** A shout out to my partner in crime! It looks like everyone loves Tate and Tala! I hope I'm doing them justice!

**Gohan2z:** And a shout out to my sweetheart and genius behind a lot of the dialogue for Manny and Diego! I'm grateful for your encouragement on this fic since I keep saying I'm not much of a writer.


	20. Chapter 20: As Lovers Go

**CHAPTER TWENTY:** "_As Lovers Go_"

"F-fire-queen?" Cindy repeated.

Lavender nodded, and a slew of female mini-sloths converged upon the larger female. They showered her with flowers and adorned her head with a hand-made crown, decorated with the brightest flora they could find. Flattered, Cindy smiled, though a bit nervously and then her gaze fell on Sid.

"What do I do?"

As usual, the sloth was dumbstruck, and the only thing he could reply with was a shrug. He had to admit though, fire-queen did sound nice when placed beside fire-king. He grinned to himself, thinking it over. Sid wasn't entirely sure what the mini-sloths' declaration had truly meant. Was it simply because she was there, or maybe they had assumed they were...a couple? Either way, Cindy didn't seem disgusted by the notion.

"Sidney!" the female's call broke him out of his happy thoughts. He blinked and stared at Cindy who was being taken away by her new group of hand-maidens. "We're going to the hot springs! I'll be right back!"

"Uh...okay!" came his answer, then he suddenly huffed, "Hey, how come I didn't get personal servants to wait on me hand and foot?"

Sid wandered off on his own while Cindy and the rest of his family enjoyed the various benefits in being "royalty". Rose had joined Cindy at the "queen's" request and both relaxed in the hot springs as they were pampered by the female minis. Uncle Fungus had been taken by a group of mini-sloths. At first he put up a fight, not entirely trusting these minis. He soon relaxed as they began to groom him. It even seemed to lighten the old sloth's mood too (maybe it was because of all that fungus they removed off his fur). Bernie was forming a conga line with the mini-sloths who were still dancing, and he became quite popular among them due to his similar size. Sid could hardly tell the difference between the mini-sloths and his own little brother.

So why wasn't he out among them having fun like his family was?

His mind kept flooding with a tangle of thoughts, which was unlike him. Most of them were about Cindy, and what could be, and might be. Sid always found himself smiling when he thought of her. From the day they had met he became smitten (as he usually did upon seeing a female), but it was different this time - Cindy was interested. _Interested in him!_ At first he had figured she was being polite for the sake of his mother. Rose spoke highly of her son, and perhaps Cindy had a grand image of him pictured in her mind. Sid knew he wasn't a very attractive sloth, so any assumptions Cindy may have had were no doubt crushed horribly. It didn't seem to be the case, however. She was sweet, caring, and not to mention cute.

His train of thought changed course, now pondering the herd's future. It was not just Cindy who came in the picture, but also his family. Would Cindy join his herd, or should he finally join other sloths for a change? Manny was faced with this dilemma before, and the big guy made his decision...but what if he was doing it because he didn't want to leave him and Diego on their own?

_What do I do then?_ Sid thought to himself. _Do I talk to them about this? Diego said I was the sticky-gooey-stuff that kept this herd together, so maybe it's all up to me. Maybe I get the final say._

Would he disband the herd? It was a horrifying thought, but as dimwitted as Sid could be, he always wanted to think first of his two bestest buddies. Manny had Ellie, and he knew Diego could click with Adah if he'd just let go of his pride. Sid wasn't much of a matchmaker if he couldn't get his victims to make with the touchy-feely stuff! Manny was most likely enjoying a romantic walk with Ellie, and Diego would be...brooding, like always. _That stubborn tiger! Oh well enough about him_, Sid rubbed his head. Thinking made his head hurt. _Maybe I can join Cindy in the hot springs, eheheh!_

"Sid?" he suddenly felt his tail being tugged. Sid looked back and saw his brother looking unusually shy for some reason.

"Hey, Bernie!" the older sloth smiled, showing off his crooked buckteeth. "What's up?"

"I was wondering..." Bernie began, picking at the dirt with one foot. "Could you teach me how to make fire?"

* * *

The moon reached its zenith, its soft light was strong enough to cast curtains through the trees. Within the cave, Ben slept soundly beside the small, snoring forms of Crash and Eddie. Shifting in sleep, the cub's paw reached over and drew the two possums closer to him like a child would with a teddy bear. They squirmed slightly in his grip till they were comfortable again, snuggling up against his warm fur. Outside, the two tigers moved out of earshot so the cave's sleeping occupants wouldn't wake up as they continued to talk.

"So..." Diego started, "how'd you end up with Ben's pack?" It was something he asked Ben but it went unanswered.

Adah sat across from Diego, facing him. She was slowly getting used to his presence, and answered with little hesitation this time. "I was a half-grown when they found me. I lost my own pack during the winter, though the memory is vague."

"Sounds like you and the kid have a few things in common." Adah gave him a halfhearted glare and he smirked, continuing. "You ever think about tracking them down?"

"No." she shook her head, and then she laid down, resting her chin on her forepaws. She smiled as her expression seemed to grow distant. "I couldn't stand the idea of parting with them, but here I am lost like I was before. It doesn't seem so bad since Ben is with me this time."

"You really care for the little squirt, don't you?" he asked. His voice had sincerity in it which seemed to surprise Adah.

"Of course," she replied. The grey saber studied him, expecting him to finish off with a wisecrack. Diego said nothing so Adah continued. "He means the world to me. He's a pawful, but I'll always love him. It seems that I need him as much as he needs me. You know what they say; sabers don't do well on their own."

"Yeah..." Diego trailed off, contemplating her last words. Adah noticed his mood dampening and changed the subject.

"What about you and your...herd?" she said carefully, remembering it was not a pack.

"What about us?" this time he studied her warily.

"I mean how did you end up with them?"

"Ben told you, didn't he?" Diego almost growled, regretting what he said knowing it would bring up the issue with Ben's relation to Soto. Adah's mood did not waver.

"Yeah, Ben told me about it." she was quiet for a moment before speaking again in a softer tone. "That was very brave of you."

"Hey I didn't do anything; it was Sid who told him what happened."

"I don't mean that," the grey saber corrected, "I mean what you did for them, for your herd."

Diego sat there, shocked. He stared at her, unsure of what to say. For some reason he felt a weight lift off his shoulders, the feeling of guilt was gone. Though what he did back then was a brave act, hearing Adah say so made Diego feel at ease as if he had been pardoned for a crime. And it only proved what he did not want to admit openly, or to himself; his growing affinity towards the grey tigress and the cub. Already, Diego could picture Sid smiling in gloating triumph.

"Thanks." he finally replied.

* * *

"No, that's no good. Try again, Bernie." Sid instructed.

"Like this?" Bernie asked.

"Yeah! See the sparks? That means they match!"

"YAY!"

For the past hour Sid was teaching his little brother the fundamentals on fire-making. Bernie was still trying to learn which rocks would spark hit against each other. It was frustrating for the little sloth, but eventually he got the knack for it. The older sloth watched as the little one struck two pieces of flint together causing sparks which landed in the small pile of tinder they gathered.

Sid grinned in triumph, mirroring Bernie's as they both stood back to admire the fire the little sloth made. Bernie was astonished at how easy it was to create fire and was ecstatic he could now be like his big brother. Sid ruffled the little tuft of fur on the younger sloth's head causing Bernie to chuckle. He yawned soon after, his eyelids drooping. The night was late and it was time for little sloths to be sleeping. As a mother, Rose knew this, and it wasn't long before she found her two sons. She picked Bernie up in her arms and walked off to find a spot to tuck Bernie in.

Sid waddled after her as she looked for a place to tuck Bernie in for the night. He wanted to ask dear ol' mom for some advice after his previous pondering. Those thoughts troubled his mind, and moms always gave good advice.

"Hey, Ma?" he began, watching Rose settle the now sleeping Bernie on a patch of soft moss.

"Yes, Sidney?"

"I've been thinking lately...you know, about the herd, and the family. Since Manny has Ellie and Diego has...a commitment issue...I was wondering, uh, do you think I should join back with you guys?"

Rose turned around to face her son. She looked rather surprised at what he just said. "You mean you think you should leave because you all found companions?"

Wow, his mother sure knew how to sum up a complex thing in a nutshell. Sid nodded as he rubbed the length of his neck. "Yeah, I mean what if they wanted to join their own herds? I think if I leave, they'll leave on their own too. I'm the brains of this operation after all, but what do you think I should do, Ma?"

Rose smiled. "Do you remember what Grandma used to say?"

"Uhh, 'there's a tiger in the cave'?"

"No."

"'Your grandpa's an idiot'?"

"Not that, the other saying."

"'Today is the last day of our lives'?"

Rose chuckled and shook her head. "She used to say 'Home is where your heart is', don't you remember?"

"Grandma used to say that?" Sid asked. His mother nodded, and placed her claws on his shoulders.

"And she's right, Sidney. Your home is wherever you take it, so if you think your heart leads you to us, or to your herd, don't hesitate to follow it."

"What about my friends? What if their hearts don't follow where mine goes?"

"I can't speak for them, Sidney." She shook her head apologetically, "If that day ever comes, they will tell you if. They're your friends and I know they won't hide what they feel when it's very important."

"Thanks, Ma." Sid sniffled. His lips trembled as he drew in the older female sloth in for a hug. Rose took him in her embrace and gave Sid a tight, affectionate squeeze. As she drew away she spotted Cindy making her way towards them. Rose repressed a smirk and kissed Sid on the flat of his head, said her good-nights and waddled off. When Sid turned around, Cindy was already there before him, smiling cheerfully.

"Hey Sidney!" he waved, and then blinked as she looked at Rose leaving. "Is everything alright?"

"Everything is great Cindy!" he grinned, "Just great! I think this is the best night of my life!"

The female sloth giggled, and looked at him shyly as her claw slipped into his. "I think it was great too. So what are we going to do now?"

"Now-now? Or like later-now?" he asked making Cindy laugh again.

"I guess later-now. Now-now is late, and we should probably get to sleep. Are we going back to join the herd in the morning?"

"Yeah. I'm sure the guys are worried about me, they're lost when I'm gone." he grinned, but stopped when he noticed Cindy with a thoughtful look on her face. "Cindy?"

"Is it okay if I went back with you, Sidney?" Sid blinked, stunned by her question. "I mean I like your herd, and...I like you."

"Really? You _like_ me?"

"Yep, I like-_like_ you!" and with that said she cupped his face with her claws and drew him closer, rubbing her nose against his affectionately. Sid felt himself turning red. He blushed so much that it turned his own fur the same color. His mind turned into a mash of thoughts but for some reason one memory seemed to pop out among the rest. It was something Manny had said long ago when they first met.

_If you find a mate in life, you should be loyal, in your case, grateful!_

And he was. He truly was.

* * *

The conversation between the two sabers fell quiet for a moment as Adah turned her head to look at the cave. Meanwhile Diego found himself gazing at Adah, and he realized he was staring for quite some time. His attention was caught by her coat which was not the golden color he and Ben had, and the color was something he was quite proud of too. Adah was grey, spotted black at her shoulders, haunches and underneath her eyes. He knew her kind lived far north so it made sense their odd coat colors would be more suited for the winter settings.

_Not odd, _he found himself thinking, _Beautiful_.

"What are you looking at?" Diego felt his thoughts snap as Adah spoke in a defensive tone.

"Huh? Oh! I was just...looking at your coat." he replied lamely. Adah looked at him, she studied him dubiously.

"Don't tell me," She said sarcastically, "It's just as pointless as my size and my teeth, am I right?"

"Well, maybe." she glared, and he raised a paw in defense. "Actually I think it's kind of...exotic."

The tiger winced at his own reply. He expected a retort, but instead Adah groomed one spotted shoulder, flattered by his comment. Diego released a small breath of relief and smirked.

"You stick out like a sore thumb, though." he added. Adah's happy mood vanished and she stared at him.

"Maybe so, but I don't have any trouble catching my prey."

"Oh really?" his voice was full of sarcasm. "Like that time when you lost the start?"

"_YOU_ lost the start!" she growled. Diego was beginning to enjoy how easily Adah took his bait. She was more fun to toy with than Sid. He tried his best to repress the grin on his face. If Adah saw it grow any wider she would have mauled him.

"Okay, okay. How about we try again and we'll see if you can back up your claim." Diego said, looking off casually to one side. The grey saber blinked. So it was a challenge then. Adah regained herself and looked at him carefully.

"So it's like a date?" she spoke, startling Diego. It was not what he expected from her, and Adah clearly knew she had the upper hand now. She didn't try very hard in hiding her own smile.

"No, I didn't mean...I was just saying..." he stammered. Frustrated, all the tiger could do was exhale sharply.

Diego felt his ears burning, and his ego was on the verge of being crushed. He wasn't quite sure if Adah was right in thinking what he had said as some sort of confession. The tiger waited for her to say something first, lest he reply and make a further mess of the situation. The grey saber allowed herself a moment to relish in this small victory when she realized Diego could not retort with a comeback. She stood up and looked at him defiantly.

"Tomorrow," she spoke, "at dawn."

"Fine." Diego answered. He stood up as well, trying to gain back his confidence.

Both stood in silence, staring the other down. Adah felt her ears growing hot the longer she stared at him. Her confidence was slowly replaced by the unnamed emotion she felt for Diego. It beckoned her, and the proximity between them only encouraged it. The strange feeling vanished when another noise caught their attention, breaking the tension between them. The two mammoths had returned from their evening walk and were heading back to the cave. Adah sighed quietly, glancing at Diego who swore she almost looked regretful. Flustered, she turned and headed back to the cave as well.

"Goodnight, Diego." she called to him.

"Yeah, goodnight...Adah." he replied slowly, unsure if the feeling he had was relief or disappointment.

* * *

"That was fun." Ellie smiled, walking ahead of Manny. He nodded to himself.

"Yeah, and it looks like the 'kids' had enough fun, too." he said while peering in through the cave's mouth.

Ellie glanced back as well, smiling as she watched her brothers sleeping with Ben. The trio snored blissfully unaware of everything around them except what went on in their dreams.

"Hard to imagine how much of a trunkful they are when they're sleeping."

Ellie chuckled lightly to herself. "I think its good practice."

"Practice?" the other mammoth blinked. "For what?"

"For when we have our own family." the shemmoth smiled.

Before Manny could reply, Ellie nuzzled him gently before heading inside the cave. Her foot-falls treaded lightly so she wouldn't wake the ones who were sleeping. Outside, Manny stood dumbstruck, as he absorbed what Ellie had suggested he didn't even notice Adah walk by to join the others in the cave. The mammoth shook with a start, blinking. He noticed Diego sitting calmly to one side, amused by Manny's state of mind.

"Did you have fun, Manfred?" he grinned.

"You just couldn't wait to get rid of us could you? It looks like you finally talked with the pretty kitty." Manny returned the saber's cool gaze with one of his own. The mammoth counted a point for himself as he saw Diego obviously unnerved by that comment. He smiled. "Don't worry I won't tell, Sid."

Diego said nothing but the smallest trace of relief passed over his face. His ego was safe for now. Silence fell over the two animals. The sudden mention of Sid made them wonder if he would be returning soon, but there was no sign. The saber shifted in his stance and looked at Manfred.

"Do you think he'll be coming back?"

"Not tonight, but you can bet he'll be here in the morning."

"That's not what I meant." Diego added, a little solemnly.

The mammoth nodded a little, knowing exactly what the tiger had meant. The appearance of Sid's family made them wonder if the sloth was considering joining back with them, especially since he and Cindy were becoming attached to one another. Manny didn't try to worry. Sid was a big-mouth and stated his feelings openly. If he wanted to leave, he would've told them.

"I wouldn't worry too much; he'll be here in the morning." Manny yawned. "And with that in mind, I'm turning in. You can count he'll be back louder than ever, and if I'm going to have a rough morning then I want a good night."

"No kidding." Diego rested on the ground. "Night, buddy."

"Night, Diego." The mammoth replied before heading into the cave.

* * *

**A/N: **Happy Valentine's Day! May your day be filled with love and mush X3 and if you don't have a special someone, you can still enjoy being with your family and friends!

So what did you think of the chapter? Granted, I'm not the best at writing romance, but I hope you enjoyed it D And thank you for being so thoughtful concerning my announcement in the last chapter. You guys are so great!

I named the chapter after the song by Dashboard Confessionals "As Lovers Go" X3 I think fits Diego and Adah since they appear to be the most stubborn couple out of the three. But that's just my opinion!

Thanks for all the reviews and watches! Take care X3


	21. Chapter 21: Empty Spaces

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE: "_Empty Spaces_"

_Dreams had a funny way of recalling every detail. When Adah was awake she could not remember certain details of her life. This night, her dream recounted everything; from the time of day, to the scent of the air, and the frigid cold. The young dream-saber was no older than three, barely a half-grown. She caught glimpses of other grey figures like herself, but they were gone in an instant. Flashes of red stained the white ground, but she didn't stay long enough to find out why. Adah found herself running though she did not know how long or how far. Exhaustion set in, and she floundered through chest-high drifts of snow._

_Limbs felt wooden and stiff as she struggled with all her might to press on, not sure of where she was, but desperately seeking shelter. She caught the scent of sabers and her heart leaped. Her pack scattered so quickly she didn't even know the reason or danger that caused it. Did they send runners to find their lost pack-mates? Utterly spent, Adah staggered and unknowingly or uncaring, her eyelids fell shut. The saber would have been frozen, killed as she slept, had it not been for the figure approaching. A gentle tugging brought Adah out of her doze. Her eyes half-shut, she could barely make out the figure of another saber beside her. She felt the stranger's jaws tugging firmly at the scruff of her neck, pulling her gently to some unknown destination._

_She felt suspended in time in that seemingly vast expanse of snow, till warmth hit her in a wave. The other saber brought the cub into a cave, and as their jaws released their hold on Adah's neck, she collapsed, as if the other saber were the only thing holding her to her feet. She felt the snow on her fur beginning to melt but suddenly she could feel a warm, rough tongue passing over her, sponging off the water and stroking her dry. Such gentleness, she thought, could only be from a mother. Relieved, and content, Adah felt herself slipping back into sleep. She must have been with her pack now, but then strange voices brought her back with a start, surprising even her._

_"You're safe, child." A female voice spoke; it was the stranger who brought her in. _

_In the dim light Adah could see other sabers behind her rescuer, some were resting, others alert and watching her curiously, carefully. The cub's skin twitched, she would've bolted if it were not for her fatigue. Adah recognized their larger, long-fanged cousins, with their brilliant gold-tawny coats. Her kind usually avoided them unless they were hunting the same prey then conflict was inevitable. The grey males were similar in size to their cousins, the females being considerably smaller, just reaching them at the shoulder. It was not only color which set them apart, but their build. The tawny sabers were muscular and robust, sporting vicious saber-teeth, while the grey sabers were lank-limbed, and their teeth were much smaller._

_The other saber came forward slowly, dipping her head and placing down a piece of meat before the cub. Nostrils flared, recognizing that wonderful savor, bringing Adah back to the present. She looked at the food, and then eyed the female ahead of her, uncertain, but hunger overrode her fear and the cub wolfed down the morsel. The female offered another and Adah took it eagerly. After several more bites she sighed in content, belly full and her fear slowly subsiding. Soon she was half-asleep, almost forgetting she was among strangers. She could hear the murmurs of the sabers all around her. The cub's ear twitched when two voices were loud enough to hear, catching her interest._

_"There was no trace or scent of any others like her." she heard a female whisper softly._

_"Lost." replied the deeper voice. It was distinctly male. She could have sworn he sounded remorseful. "This winter has been bitter harsh."_

_One eye peered open to see it was the female who brought her talking to a male-saber. Perhaps he was her mate? He was huge, and sturdy, dwarfing the female by comparison. The saber looked dangerous, and yet he seemed gentle; a perfect match to the tigress he talked to._

_"I ask your permission to allow her to stay, Hagar," the other continued, "Different as they may be they are kin to us still."_

_"Very well, Nadia. She may stay. Sooth what a gentle mate I chose and a fine mother to my young heir." The male chuckled before nuzzling her lovingly. As he drew away he looked around the cave to see if any objected to what was just agreed upon. No one said a word._

_Before Adah could ponder what had happened, another noise drew her attention away. She looked beside the female and spotted a small ball of fur huddled beside her. It was a cub, and still very young by the way he hung so close to his mother. He nudged her side impatiently as his mother and father spoke, eager to suckle. His little chest rose in a huff, but soon his impatience vanished once his gaze fell on Adah. The little cub forgot about nursing as he approached the grey saber eagerly, padding to her with short, stubby limbs. They stared at one another, and the cub, unable to speak yet only smiled. Maybe it was his bold approach, or his fuzzy little appearance; but whatever the reason, she felt something for this fearless little cub, and Adah returned his smile._

_"Ben." his mother called, and with a start the cub bounded away. "Let her rest. We can talk to her in the morning."_

_Adah stared after them, watching as the female lay on one side and her cub began to nurse without a moment's hesitation. Sleep dragged at Adah again, and her last thoughts were of that cub. Her heart was stolen by him that day, and unknowingly it quelled the feeling of dread she had in losing her own kind._

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The images faded into blackness. The saber was awake now, but her eyes were still closed. Opening them slightly, she noticed it was barely dawn. A figure rustled beside her, and the saber glanced to her side to see Ben. Adah smiled and gently licked his head causing him to stir again. She did not remember her dream, but the image of Ben as a young cub still lingered in the back of her mind.

The dawn light illuminated the cave. The figures of the herd still slept soundly, their shapes barely visible. Adah smiled. She remembered how frightening it was to be around sabers different from her, but soon the tigress eventually came to accept them as her own. Now this situation was similar, even though they were not tigers. This oddball herd took them in willingly, uncaring of what she and Ben were. Adah didn't want to accept it at first, but now she found it...comforting.

Looking ahead, she spotted Ellie sleeping against Manny, her trunk curling around his own. Crash and Eddie snored loudly, both curled up on Ben's other side. Sid and his family were not among the herd. Perhaps they found another place to sleep. She soon realized another figure missing. Frowning, Adah rose to her feet and quietly made her way outside.

"I was starting to worry you were gonna sleep through the entire morning." Diego spoke, surprising her. He sat a few paces from the cave entrance, wearing a smug grin like always.

"And here I thought you ran off to avoid our little date." She answered. It was only a taunt, but even saying it jokingly made her turn scarlet under the fur.

"It's not a date." Diego stated, apparently feeling the same. "It's a...uh...are we going or not?"

Adah replied a little defiantly. "Lead the way."

"Ladies first."

"Careful, Tiger, or you'll be eating my dust for breakfast." she loped ahead of him.

Diego couldn't help but smirk after he noticed her smiling when she passed him. He was beginning to enjoy their recent game of push-and-shove, and was surprised to find out Adah could push back just as roughly as he could. Their last two encounters with one another were different than this. After their fight over the start, it appeared the tigress wanted nothing to do with him. And when she and Ben began traveling with the herd it put Adah in an uncomfortable proximity with Diego and she ignored him completely.

Eventually she began to warm up to the idea of traveling with the herd. And the previous night showed Diego she was warming up to him as well. She was friendlier, sometimes playful, and even a little teasing. Diego was proud, he'd admit that much, but he finally swallowed it down to take a chance and talk with Adah. He found out he actually liked talking to her, and the feeling of loneliness which plagued him vanished.

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"I think I'm on ta something, Major!" Tate said between sniffs, his nose pressed close to the ground.

Behind him followed his superior, the dark-colored she-wolf, stern and irritated. They were tired but Tala persisted in finding the herd they had lost a day ago. Thanks to Tate, who had his own agenda with a Scrat, they lost track of the herd and spent most of their day and night looking for them again. The Major was not amused by his antics at all.

"Once we find their location you are doing 30 back flips as punishment for your insubordination."

"I almost had him too!" Tate said, mostly to himself, and then he grumbled. "Dat dumb runt, he's a rat pretending ta be a squirrel!"

"40 back flips." Tala said sternly.

"Aww, Major Tala!" he began, but soon was cut off.

"A soldier never whines, Lieutenant!" she growled slightly, "Due to your actions, it cost us a day's travel. We need to be careful. Rufus might strike at any moment."

"I dun' see why we should care, I mean we dun even know dese guys--AHH OW!" Tate felt his ear smarting after Tala promptly nipped at it. He paused and rubbed one paw against it to dull the pain.

"Rufus is a criminal now, along with those who left with him. Miakoda expected his band to leave the territory but its obvious he's still here, and planning something no doubt. We must find out what it is if he's set his sights on such an odd...group."

"Maybe dat's da reason." the other shrugged, "maybe he just doesn't like mixed-species travelin'."

"No, from what we gathered, there is something about the target he is after, and I want to find out."

"What about our pack?" Tate added. Tala shook her head.

"Miakoda would want us to do this, Lieutenant." she replied, "For the good of our pack. The ex-Major has a cunning mind, and whatever he has planned is most definitely schemed to work against our pack."

"If you say so," he flinched as she glared at him slightly, and he nervously continued to track. "I hope dey're in a good mood once we find 'em."

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The sloths waddled through the trees, heading back to the cave where they knew the others were sleeping in. Sid led the way with Cindy and Rose right behind him, while Bernie slept in his mother's arms. Flanking the group was Uncle Fungus who glanced from side to side. He sniffed the air a few times, sensing something odd.

"Slow down, Sid." he warned. The two females stopped but Sid continued a few more paces till he realized the others had stopped.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Can't you smell it?" Uncle Fungus replied. Not particularly talking to Sid since his sense of smell sucked. Rose looked to Cindy who was her eyes, ears, and nose. The blonde she-sloth sniffed the air.

"It smells like...like..." she couldn't place her claw on it.

"Wolf." the elder male sloth said eerily, causing the other three adult sloths to huddle closer together. Bernie only snorted in his sleep, undisturbed.

"We gotta warn the others then!" Sid exclaimed in a half-whisper. The rest of the sloths nodded in consent.

They hurried along, treading as quietly as possible lest they attract the attention of the detected predators. Leaves scrunched lightly under their feet, and they all winced the entire way, fearing it was too loud. Relief engulfed the sloth group as the cave finally came into view.

"Over there!" Cindy pointed. They saw two figures, one light and one dark, walking into the cave. "Are they awake?"

"It's probably Diego and Adah." Sid nodded. "Diego's an early riser."

They all sighed in relief. With the sabers in the area no wolf would dare to come near. Sid looked to the others and pressed a claw to his lips, shushing them. Rose blinked.

"Sidney?"

"I'm gonna go in and surprise them." he grinned, tip-toeing off. "They'll be shocked to see me up this early."

Rose smiled softly, feeling rather sorry for the sleeping inhabitants in the cave while Cindy giggled lightly. Uncle Fungus shook his head, but was secretly hoping that Diego would retaliate by scaring Sid off with a roar. The group watched Sid quietly slip though the cave entrance, listening intently to hear the surprised reactions of the other herd-members.

"WOLF!!!" Sid screamed, his voice reverberating against the cave walls.

"How original." snorted Uncle Fungus.

The shouts of the others were soon heard, and the first figures they saw run out were Tate and Tala.

"You said it was empty!" Tala cried.

"I said it _looked_ empty!" Tate replied.

"50 back flips!"

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Diego never did enjoy working with the tigers of his former pack. Hunting was about teamwork, but in his old pack, it was about competition and getting in Soto's good graces. Lenny was lazy when it came to doing the actual work, only pitching in once their prey was already down. Zeke only wanted to maul, and in his frenzy he would often bite his pack-mates. Oscar would stoop to any means if it made himself look good and the others look foolish. And it was common sense never to even _think_ about challenging Soto in anything. Yet it wasn't uncommon for them to show their hate and jealousy towards Diego, who was Soto's second best.

It had been so long since he hunted with another tiger that he almost forgot the rush it gave him. However, it was different this time. It was the way it should be.

Diego noted how well he worked with Adah. She was not interested in showing off, she only wanted to get the job done and Diego liked that. After tracking down their prey of choice they planned out their hunting strategy. Diego was used to working alone, but having someone else around to help meant an easier meal. It was apparent the grey saber was a good hunter as she had no trouble coming up with a simple strategy that allowed them both to show off their talents. Adah would be the runner, while Diego would be the ambusher and muscle to take down their prey. It didn't take them long to catch something, and they enjoyed breakfast before the sun even rose past the glacier walls.

After they had their fill, Diego decided it was time to head back. He walked off only to notice Adah keeping behind. He looked back and saw her carrying a large portion of meat in her jaws. He looked at her with one eyebrow raised, amused.

"You don't watch your figure, do you?" he said sarcastically.

"It's for Ben," She managed to say with her mouth full. Diego held in his snicker and walked back to take it from her.

"Here, I'll carry it." he offered. "It's almost as big as you. You're liable to drop it."

"I can handle it," she said, and walked past him. Adah was cut off by Diego who moved in front of her and grabbed at one end. She was taken back by his sudden playful nature. She tugged at the meat. "Let go."

"Are you always this stubborn?"

"As much as you are sarcastic, now let go."

"You let go." he replied.

"Make me."

"Fine."

Diego had expected little resistance from the small female, but to his surprise she held fast. No matter how much he tugged, she simply would not let go even when she was literally dragged by his force. Her eyes curved into half-crescents, a hint that she was smiling. The orange tiger frowned, and reluctantly withdrew. Adah nodded as if nothing happened and trotted off past him once more. Diego turned to follow her this time.

"See?" Adah began, "Small teeth can be more efficient."

"How so?" he asked, feigning to be clueless.

"Smaller fangs, better grip." she stated.

"Okay, so maybe they're good for something." Diego admitted. He heard Adah growling softly.

"Make fun of mine again and I'll show you how good I am with them."

"Sounds tempting." He replied.

Adah almost tripped. His response surprised her, and embarrassed her. She could have sworn she saw him smirking from the corner of her vision. He turned her threat into something entirely different, or maybe he wanted to make her think that way. Adah shut her eyes tightly and shook her head as if shooing off any provocative thoughts. He snickered, content that he got her back, but then he stopped suddenly. The other saber did the same, startled.

"Diego?"

"Somethings off." he said, tilting his head back slightly to smell the air. Without a warning he broke into a run. Adah dropped the piece of food she carried and ran after him.

"Diego!" she called, but he didn't answer.

It didn't take long for her to notice what he did. It was a scent which could only be discerned as a wolf. Her heart kicked in her chest and she quickened her gait. It didn't take them long to reach the herd's encampment, and Diego skidded to a halt. Adah pitched to a stop behind him before she slammed up against his back.

"What's this?" Diego found himself exclaiming.

Everyone appeared to be fine but they all looked startled, half-awake, as if they had been suddenly disturbed in their sleep. Immediately, the tiger's gaze fell on Sid who hid behind Manny, his family on the opposite end with Ellie. Ben and the possums huddled underneath her shaggy legs. Diego then noticed the two figures in-between the space of the two mammoths. Two wolves were caught between their tusks, threatened to be pierced should they make one move. Tate and Tala kept absolutely still.

"We got a rude awakening," Manfred replied, looking the most disgruntled, as always. "For once, I would have preferred Sid."

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**A/N: **SURPRISE! Lyek whoaaa, it's another chapter. Okay so maybe it's not that fabulous XD I thought I'd surprise you with two chapters since I did mention it in chapter 19! I'm surprised how much mush I put in for Diego and Adah, but that's good, right? XB I had fun with her flashback. I always saw her as some sort of parallel to Ellie. Ellie was taken in by creatures different from her and she accepted it openly, forgetting what she was and accepting herself as a possum. Adah is aware of the differences with her own pack, yet ironically she has trouble accepting the herd. (Then again, they aren't sabers but you think she would accept the unexpected)

Tate and Tala make their return WOOHOO! I love writing the dialogue for Tate! My friend says he has something like a Brooklyn accent though I'm never sure if I portray successfully. Stay tuned for the next chapter in a couple of weeks! Buwhaha! Happy Valentine's again, and good night!


	22. Chapter 22: Tate and Tala

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO: "_Tate and Tala_"

Manny kept on one side, Ellie kept on the other. Tate and Tala eyed their tusks, knowing very well what the consequence would be should they try and make a move. Sid's family kept behind Ellie's form, afraid of the possible outcome but watching intently. Ben ran to Adah as soon as she appeared, and while she tried to reassure him, Diego walked to Manny and Sid's side, eyeing the two wolves warily. Tala remained still and cool, she didn't appear frightened but her heart hammered inside her chest. Never did their pack have such close encounters with such large animals like mammoths. It was their rival, the saber-tooth who preyed upon them, sporting more fitting canines to complete the job. She couldn't help but eye Diego as he passed.

Tate on the other hand showed his fear openly. Hind end sticking up in the air with his head down against the ground. His forepaws covered his face and he shivered violently. Manny rolled his eyes, but Ellie smiled sadly. She didn't like playing the threatening animal role, and even though the two wolves gave them quite the wake up call, there had to be some explanation that didn't involve hunting. She saw Tate flinch as Manny shifted in his stance just barely to look at Diego who sat beside him. Slowly, Sid, who hid behind the mammoth, made his way up to join in-between him and Diego.

"So what do we do with them?" Manny asked Diego. He always felt obligated to ask the saber, even though the trio shared in leadership of the herd, Diego's collected attitude in most situations made Manny feel more at ease.

However, Tate broke in before the tiger could speak. "How 'bout letting da two of us go, eh?"

"I don't think so, pal! We've got you surrounded so don't even think about _thinking_ of doing something!" Sid pointed at him. Manny and Diego rolled their eyes as Sid made his brave accusations while hiding behind them. Tate frowned but still cowered as Tala remained unmoving. She sat on her haunches, keeping her calm, dignified posture. Again, the others began to argue.

"If I wanted ta make a snack out of ya, sloth, I would'a dun it by now!" Tate growled, but Manny motioned just slightly with his tusks, making the wolf back down.

"Didn't I warn you to keep away from this herd?" Diego spoke.

"I only listen to da orders of my higher officer, Tala!" Tate announced proudly. He had hoped for some sort of reaction from Tala, but she didn't move, and his frame drooped. He noticed the saber smirking and Tate managed to gain back some of his fire. "It's not like we're huntin' ya or anything!"

"Yeah right!" Sid accused again.

"Then what are you doing, exactly?" Manny asked, with a subtle hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"It's apparent your saber friend didn't tell you anything," Tala spoke. She took a step forward, as if taking the witness stand. Ellie was not as paranoid as Manny was, but she kept a close eye on the she-wolf. Tala nodded to her respectfully. "We're following your herd because of the wolves which had previously attacked you."

"Which I still believe you had something to do with!" Uncle Fungus added in. Rose shushed him gently, placing a claw to her lips. He hmph-ed and Tala continued.

"The red wolf you spoke of is someone we most likely know, unfortunately." she lowered her head and sighed, "and for that we apologize."

"Who is this red wolf?" Rose asked.

"He is a former member from our pack. His name is Canis Rufus, and he was in charge of training the young wolves, but his methods were too extreme and he was ousted from our group along with those loyal to him. We thought they all left the territory, but when we found out they had attacked you it appears he's been hiding, and planning something."

"Like what?" Ellie found herself asking.

"We're not sure." Tala replied. "All we know is it may have something to do with your herd. Someone in this group has sparked his interest."

Immediately the sloths huddled together, knowing it was them who encountered the wolves first. Ellie gave Manny a worried glance, and all he could do was return the sentiments with his own expression. Adah struggled to keep her paws on the ground as Ben, as large as he was, tried to hide underneath her as if he were still a weanling cub. Tate looked all around, watching their reactions and then looked at Tala, half-smirking to her.

"Does she know how ta silence a crowd or what? Dat's what I call talent." He snickered and flinched slightly as Tala threatened to cuff him on the back of his neck. She looked to the rest of the herd and bowed her head.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to sound so cryptic." she raised her head, "but now you know why we've been following you. We want to know who it is he's after, and any means possible keep him from accomplishing whatever he plans."

"How can we be sure that you're not spies of his trying to get this 'target'?" Diego glared. In her defense, Tate growled at him, but the sight of Manny's tusks kept him from doing anything else.

"We can only offer you our word, and this," she turned her head slightly to one side. The others blinked when they noticed she had two feathers tangled in her fur. Soon they realized Tate also had a feather, but only one. "These are a sign of our loyalty to our pack. Rufus and his wolves have none, but I suppose you couldn't tell when they had chased you."

The others seemed mixed now; wary but now slowly understanding the plight of their two captives. Diego, however, was still not convinced. He wanted to be doubly sure they posed no threat to his herd in any way. It was a habit he was glad that developed. "What about your pack? You could be scheming with this Rufus guy to corner our group."

Tala shook her head. "We've been looking for our pack.. When the great glacial wall cracked, the rushing waters washed away many of our old trails." She looked over all of them. "I'm sure you can understand this, seeing how you are also separated from your own kind."

The herd blinked and stared at one another. This time Manny shook his head and spoke up. "Sorry missy, you got it all wrong. We're not separated from anyone. This _is_ our herd."

This time Tala blinked, surprised. "You mean you are not traveling for the sake of safety, but because you chose to?"

"She makes it sound like this was done recently." Diego said to Manny, smirking.

"The three of us have been traveling together for a while." Manny continued, and then motioned with his trunk toward the others. "Only recently have we gained more members."

"Huh," Tate was just as amazed, "that explains the tiger, but why would you guys want to travel together?"

"Variety, I suppose." Manny shrugged. Sid belched and the mammoth resisted the urge to smack him with his trunk. He ignored the sloth and eyed the two wolves critically. "So you lost your pack? Sounds like a reoccurring situation here."

Diego caught a glimpse of Ben and Adah's saddened expression. He found himself frowning at Manny's cynicism. Tala noticed this and she and Tate exchanged glances, ending with him shrugging. Tala focused her attention to the mammoth now.

"We've been switching roles; one day for scouting their whereabouts, and one day to observe your group. I'm afraid this tactic isn't very good, considering you are moving north and we head in the opposite direction."

"You should've kept on going." Diego stated. Tate bristled again.

"We should've, huh, kitty litta?" he spat, "Save us da trouble in trying ta help ungrateful animals like you!"

"What makes you think we can't handle this guy?"

"You're just one tiger!"

"Who's backed up by two mammoths" Manny broke in, towering over the two carnivores. Diego flashed Tate a triumphant grin before stepping back to let his friend speak again. "Even so, why are you so determined to stick around?"

"Rufus was a part of our pack; it would be dishonorable to ignore this." Tala replied. She paused for a moment before speaking again. "And, his plan, no matter what it may be, is no doubt planned to get revenge on his former pack. That is why it has me bothered he's eyeing this group. We do not know any of you."

"Dat's true, but Rufus us one tricky son-of-a-dog. He was da same ranking as you Tala, and more experienced."

"You're right, Tate." Tala mused, looking troubled. Manny frowned slightly, taking in all she had said. So these wolves had a purpose now. This was trouble. Just when he thought things were finally settling down, bad news comes rearing its ugly head. The mammoth sighed and looked up to see Ellie. The shemmoth's expression had softened, her sentiments going out to Tala and Tate. Behind her, it looked as if Rose and Cindy agreed with Ellie, even Sid who had so boldly accused the wolves earlier. That sloth had an extremely short memory-span. The rest of the herd members shifted uneasily where they stood; exchanging glances with one another, expecting someone knew what to do. Soon all of their gazes fell on Manny and Diego.

Manny's mind went blank, and Diego said nothing, apparently at a loss for words as well. Tala broke the silence.

"May I make one suggestion?" everyone stared at her. "Let us stay nearby. Allow one of us to stay behind with your herd as the other tracks down our pack."

"You mean like a bodyguard?" Manny asked, not at all convinced they were suited for it.

"Not bodyguards -- scouts. And with one of us present, there is a chance Rufus won't try anything. He is unaware that we are separated from our pack. He might fear that his plan could be ruined."

The herd mulled over Tala's words, thinking it over. Tala did her best to give them all the proof she could to show they meant no harm and it was only two wolves. Then again, two packs were out there somewhere, one was planning to attack their herd and the other was who-knows-where. Manny knew he could go in circles with this situation over and over again and never come to a certain outcome. He looked down to Sid and Diego, their gazes fixed on the sloth family, and the two sabers. Sid trusted his two friends to keep his family safe, and Diego's growing feelings for Adah also showed he was concerned not only for his herd's safety but for her and Ben's safety as well.

And then there was Ellie, and her two brothers. Manny cared for her deeply, and would fight tusk and claw to protect her. One look into her green, green eyes and he knew for sure what he had to do. It was a chance to trust these two wolves, but knowing there was a greater threat out there staved whatever accusations he had against Tate and Tala. The trio all shared one glance, agreeing silently on what was to be done. Manny drew away from the two wolves, pulling his tusks out of range.

"Alright then." the mammoth spoke, "You guys can stick around, but if you ever decide to look at any of us here as food, you're going to regret it."

"I'll make sure you do." Diego added. Tate gulped, but Tala nodded, understanding completely.

"We won't be any trouble at all." she said, "We'll keep out of sight, and out of your way."

"Good." Manny replied.

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So it was agreed; the wolves would keep nearby the herd, watching for any move Rufus might make as Tate and Tala exchanged shifts. One went off to find any traces of their packs' scent and the other kept behind as a sentry. The herd paid them no mind when they came in sight or scent. Manfred and Diego ignored them completely, but it was obvious the others grew quite curious of the new unofficial members of the herd. Ellie, especially, who fidgeted (as much as a mammoth could) itching to talk to the she-wolf called Tala. Eddie and Crash had no interest in making friends with predators unless they looked as harmless as Ben.

Ben was very cautious, much to Adah's surprise. He knew Tate and Tala were friendly, but their news about a red wolf made him uncomfortable. Wolves were responsible for separating him and Adah from their pack. It had been what seemed like ages since they lost them, perhaps a few weeks by now. Would they even be in the area for them to find?

Thinking back on it, his mind nagged at him for the image of the wolf who found him. When their scent was picked up by the other sabers he and the other cubs were taken into hiding. Ben couldn't keep still and managed to sneak away from Adah and the other watchful eyes. When he came into a clearing two wolves immediately spotted him. He was too afraid to move even when one of the canines approached him, speaking casually as if he knew him. What did he say? The cub was so stunned he hardly listened. And every time he tried to picture his face it left him like a dream he could not recall. Luckily Adah came to his rescue before the wolves could do anything. It was his fault they were separated, and he was baffled Adah did not resent him for it.

On the far side of the encampment, Sid and his family had just finished foraging. Manny and Diego kept nearby, which the sloth was grateful for. Cindy had told Rose and Uncle Fungus of their 'courting' dance among the mini sloths and their arrangement afterwards. The red-colored sloth was extremely happy and showered her blessings on both of them. Uncle Fungus, despite looking so annoyed, also nodded his approval. Cindy would be staying with Sid and his herd when the day came for his family to leave for their new home. To Sid's shock, he found out it was much sooner than he had expected.

"We all agreed." Rose spoke, "We would like to stay with the mini-sloths."

"Are you sure?" Sid asked.

"They have good shelter to protect them, especially with all this talk of wolves. We'd be less of a burden on your friends." Rose smiled "Poor Manfred and Diego seem very concerned and we don't want to add to that."

Sid nodded solemnly. "Okay. Wherever we go I'll make sure it's not too far so we can always come back when this thing is over."

Rose nodded back and hugged her son, and then she hugged Cindy who smiled sadly. Uncle fungus let down Bernie so he could hug the two sloths before the three waddled off back to the mini-sloth village. Sid sighed sadly, and when Cindy noticed she rubbed her nose against his affectionately.

"It's okay, Sid. They'll come back when things are safe!"

"Yeah, you're right. I just miss them already!" he sobbed.

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"I feel kind of bad." Manny found himself saying. Diego looked up at his mammoth friend.

"About what?"

"About Sid's family leaving. I mean I'm always complaining about how bad things are, I just hope they didn't leave because I made them feel unwelcome or anything."

"Manfred, if they can tolerate my sarcasm then you're remarks are simply an afterthought." the two grinned, sharing in the humor for the moment before things became serious again. "Sid will expect us to keep close though."

"I know, but we can't stay here. There's no water."

"I know a place with water." said a third voice. Mammoth and saber looked behind them to find Tate. The wolf kept his distance and gulped as the two figures looked rather menacing, especially when they glared. Still, he managed to gather enough courage to speak. "Seriously, I know a place with water."

"We heard you the first time, mutt-face." Diego growled.

"Really? Den ya know its only polite ta answer da first time your spoken too, kitty-littah!"

"I don't talk to mongrels like you!"

"I'm a wolf!"

"Like there's a difference."

"OKAY!" Manny broke in. Saber and wolf flinched at the harshness of his tone. "We really need to find a water source, so this better not be some trick."

"Trust me, it isn't." Tate smiled, his tongue lolled out of his mouth. Diego only sneered.

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Two wolves blended in the shadows dappling the forest floor and watched the group silently and intently. They kept at a distance to avoid their scent from being detected. However, it was thanks to the thick pine and scent of their two former pack mates which enabled them to get a closer look and hear the plans of this oddball herd.

"Well, things have certainly turned."

"All in all, it may be to our advantage. First, we know Tate and Tala are lost and they can't report anything to Miakoda. Secondly, all of the main water sources are near the glacial walls, and one is very close to the ice canyon.

"How can we make sure they go to that one?"

"We'll make are scent obvious to the other sources, it will drive them off, thinking there is danger."

"Heh, the Major will be pleased."

"Immensely. Now let's go. He'll look forward in hearing what we have to report."

They moved away from the others, their forms melted in with the shadows, moving like two haunts, swift and quiet. Both wolves grinned, knowing they would be rewarded for the news they planned to bring.

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**A/N: **Sorry for the long wait! I figured I could hold off till March since I did that double chapter post, but this was a fun chapter! It had more drama than comedy but I still like it and hopefully you learned a little more about Tate and Tala. Did I do well Shin? X3

Well, please enjoy the fic and enjoy the weekend! I know I will! Take care everybody!


	23. Chapter 23: The Crescent Forest

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: "_The Crescent Forest_"

Reluctantly the herd followed Tate to the previously mentioned water source. For once, Manny was at ease, knowing the wolf was speaking the truth. He recognized the area now that it was daylight. Once they reached a clearing he could easily see the glacier wall that formed into a semi-circular formation. The half bowl cradled clusters of forests aligned against the wall in a crescent formation thus giving the area its distinct name. Somewhere near the middle of the great ice wall was a gap allowing passage to the other side of the formation, but for now the herd was not interested in that particular location. The water source Tate mentioned was near the glacier walls. Many well-springs formed along the area thanks to small pockets in the glacier melting. This not only provided water sources, but it kept the forest flourishing, meaning an abundance of food and cover. The place didn't change much, Manny noted. He traveled to the crescent forest before when he traveled with a mammoth herd. That was ages ago, but as a mammoth he could never forget.

It only took half a day to reach the other side of the crescent formation. Sid was happy in knowing the distance was not too great from the mini-sloths and his family. The absence of Rose, Bernie, and Uncle Fungus affected the others as much as it did to Sid and Cindy. Crash, Eddie, and Ben were short one playmate and friend, and missed Bernie sorely. Rose also left a gap within the group of females of the group. Quirky as the red sloth was, she still had an odd air of wisdom about her; perhaps it was due to her being the eldest. During the time she spent with Ellie and Adah she formed a mother-daughter bond like she had with Cindy. It was her gentleness and incredible understanding Cindy adored, and Ellie and Adah agreed.

Manny and Diego, though they wouldn't admit it openly (or to one another), missed the crotchety old sloth. Uncle Fungus had enough cynicism and sarcasm to rival the two heavyweights. They found themselves on guard constantly whenever the old sloth was around them. It was fun to tease Sid once in a while, but having a sloth who fought back was rather refreshing, not to mention humiliating. Uncle Fungus won his fair share of verbal bouts with the mammoth and saber. Still, some good came out of it. Manny and Diego realized how Sid must have felt when they teased him. Silently, they vowed to themselves to ease up on their antics against the sloth.

That is, until Sid did something annoying.

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It was midday by the time the herd reached the water source. Tate smiled in triumph, proving to the others he could be trusted. Diego ignored him completely, walking on as if the wolf was not even there. Manny gave the wolf a small nod in thanks, but no more. The last thing he wanted was another predator with a big ego. The rest of the group left to play in the water or quench their thirst. Manny kept in the background, watching the herd before joining. It was a habit he picked up from Diego. For the moment, his attention was focused on Ellie. Once in a while he would ponder how she stole his heart, and more importantly, how in the world he managed to win hers. No matter how stressed he was Ellie always managed to calm him down with a single glance or a smile. She never worried like Manny did; in fact, her demeanor reminded him of Ben. Surprisingly she was open to a lot of things, carrying a carefree outlook on life. Realizing this, Manny felt more sympathetic towards Adah who, no doubt, gnashed her teeth every time Ben decided to run off.

The group kept close to one another by the watering hole. Crash and Eddie splashed around in the shallow parts with Ben. Unlike Diego, Ben had no qualms in getting wet, especially when it involved playing. Adah on the other hand kept out of range, and kept her eye on Ellie incase she decided to use her trunk as a hose. Luckily, the shemmoth's attention was currently focused on the topic of Sid and Cindy's budding relationship.

Sid beamed happily over the female sloth's decision to stay with the herd, and most importantly; with him. It was apparent that Cindy was getting quite comfortable with Sid, and the idea of the wacky herd he traveled with. The she-sloth seemed shy at first glance, but Cindy would eagerly urge Sid into doing something or join Ellie and her brothers in a game they fashioned. She was quite friendly and her patience with Sid was rather impressive. Manfred cracked a small smile; it was strange to see Sid so eager to please Cindy when he was known for his extreme laziness. Manny knew the sloth would be bragging about this till the end of time. Especially to Diego -- two bachelors down, one more to go.

It wasn't long before Tala appeared. As promised, the she-wolf kept her distance. She sat with Tate on the far end of the water hole, watching the herd from her spot. Tate did his best to keep his enthusiasm in check upon her arrival. He didn't like being on his own, and with a strange looking herd for that matter.

"Well?" he asked, "did ya find anything?"

The other wolf bent down to lap up the cool water before answering. "No sign. On my way here I caught scent of other wolves near the other water sources."

"Rufus?"

"Most likely, but I can't determine if the scent is recent or not."

Tate sighed. "Dat Rufus is a sneaky genius. All dis fir and pine covers up smells pretty good

"Indeed. He's not going to make this easy."

"So what do we do?"

"All we can do for now is keep this herd away from the areas their scents were located."

"With all due respect, Major, dats not much of a plan."

Tala sighed this time as she shook her head. "I know, Tate, but what else can we do?"

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"What do you suppose they're talking about?" Ellie asked.

"What if they're talking about ways to eat possums?" Eddie shuddered.

"Can wolves eat possums?" Ben asked.

"I dunno, but I don't want to find out!"

"They look so lonely." Ellie said quietly to herself. It was loud enough for her brothers to hear and they stopped and gaped at her.

"You're not thinking what I think your thinking, are you Ellie?" Eddie inquired.

"About how some fruits give us bad gas?" Crash added which earned him a slap from his brother. Ellie ignored them even when they hopped and rolled across her feet.

"I'm gonna go and talk to them." she stated.

"What?!" all three young mammals exclaimed.

"What?" she replied defensively, "they're not bad!"

"Yeah but...uh...uhm." Crash tried to argue but nothing came to mind.

"What if Diego's right?" the more sensible brother said. "You know, they could be tricking us."

"If they are, why are we letting them hang around? Even _if_ they wanted to try something Manny could chase them off in a split second!" Ellie replied, boasting slightly on her sweetheart's behalf.

"Naw, he'll need more than a second with all that fat hair! BUH-ZING!" Crash and Eddie snickered while they gave each other a high-five. Ben tried to be polite as he did his best to stifle his own laughter. Ellie bopped all three of them on the heads with her trunk for making fun of Manny.

"Mammoths are supposed to be---," she paused, trying to think of a suiting word, "...large. And who knows! Maybe if we talk to them, we'll know more about them! Remember how frightened we were of Adah, and look how nice she turned out to be."

"You were afraid of Adah?" Ben stared at the two possums, shocked they would think such a thing of his beloved pack-mate. The two possums rubbed the back of their heads sheepishly; guilty as charged.

"It was just for a little while!" Eddie tried to placate their saber friend. "She's cool, right Crash?"

"Yep!"

"Then it's settled then." Ellie nodded, and began walking away "I'm going to talk to them."

"Could you at least bring Adah with you?" Ben moved ahead to block her path. He was not much of an obstacle to a mammoth but she stopped all the same. "I'd feel much better. Please, Auntie Ellie?"

The shemmoth smiled. A few days ago she encouraged Ben to call her by that title, and he had done so with much enthusiasm. It sounded pretty good too, and Adah didn't seem to mind him calling her auntie so all was well. Ellie nodded to the cub's wishes knowing it would probably be a good idea and would keep Manny from having a heart attack if she had gone on her own.

"Alright, Ben."

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"Major, dere's a mammoth walking towards us." Tate stared.

"I can see her, Tate."

"Well?" he's ears twitched. The closer Ellie approached the more the wolf wanted to bolt. "W-what do we do?"

"Hello!" Ellie waved with her trunk.

"Greet her." Tala ordered before nodding, and then nodded to Adah who stood beside the shemmoth. The saber eyed the two wolves suspiciously, but due to the consistent nudging from Ellie's trunk, Adah finally nodded in reply. "Good day, is there something you needed?"

"Oh, nothing really! We just wanted to say hello and talk!" Ellie smiled.

Tala blinked, which in turn made Adah smile slightly. She remembered how strange it was for her when the shemmoth came up to her to do the same thing. It had only been a couple of weeks, but it seemed so long ago. How quickly she became accustomed to the herd, Adah mused.

"Uh, well..." Tate scratched his side with a hind paw, at a loss for words. Ellie wanted to sigh and let out a light hearted laugh. What was it with predators and their lack of social skills? Didn't they travel in packs? "Da name is Tate. Dis is Tala, _Major_ Tala."

"Major? OH!" Ellie remembered the odd titles Tate had used during their first (if not, startling) encounter. "What do these names mean?"

Tate looked at Tala to answer this one. "They signify ranks in our pack. I am a major, higher ranking than Tate which means he has to do what I say."

"How odd." the shemmoth murmured. "Do all wolves have titles?"

Both wolves nodded, and Tala continued to speak. "We do not degrade each other or brag about titles, it helps keep order in our pack. This is how it is done."

"The males in our pack do something similar. The tigers with the most strength and experience have command over the younger ones. They teach them how to protect the others and guard against intruders." Adah spoke. Tala nodded, knowing a lot of saber packs had the same militant style. With both saber and wolf agreeing Ellie felt at ease and smiled.

"What about dis herd?" Tate boldly asked. "Dere has to be some explanation for dis setup."

"Lieutenant!" Tala scolded.

"No, its okay." Ellie broke in. She rubbed her head with her trunk, trying to find the proper way to explain the group. "It began with those three over there actually" she pointed with her trunk, "that's Manny, and next to him is Diego, and Sid's right over there with Cindy! I joined their herd a while back along with my brothers. There was a flood that was going to destroy our valley home and they invited us to travel with them as we looked for a way to escape it. Long story short; we survived the flood and Manny invited us to stay as permanent members."

Tala caught a glimpse of Ellie's expression as she looked at the other mammoth, and she smiled. "I think I'm beginning to understand why."

"Huh?" Ellie felt her skin turn red, and she grew more flustered as Adah smiled too. "Oh, well...yeah. We didn't get along at first because I thought I was a possum."

"Say dat again?"

"I believed I was a possum" she repeated.

"Don't da wooly fur and da huge tusks give you a clue dat you're _not_? AIE!" Tate yelped as Tala nipped him harshly. Ellie laughed and shrugged. She knew how silly it sounded, but back then Ellie lost all memory of her mammoth kin since she lost her family when she was so young.

"Yeah I know, but I don't regret being raised by possums. If I didn't grow up a possum, then I wouldn't have my brothers! Maybe I wouldn't have met Manny and the others. I don't think too much on what-ifs, I'm happy with how things are now!"

"You're optimism is admirable" Tala complimented. Ellie smiled and nodded happily. The she wolf then looked to the other saber. "How did you join?"

"Me? It's not a very interesting story like Ellie's." Adah was gently nudged again by Ellie's trunk. The shemmoth was tempted to fill the two wolves in with her version of the story.

"Ya didn't think you were aardvarks or anything like dat, did you?" Tate snickered.

Adah made a face but Ellie couldn't help but chuckle. She shook her head, "No, it wasn't like that. After we left the valley we ran into Adah, and Ben, and later on -- Cindy, who we met once running into Sid's family."

"Sounds like quite the adventure," Tala smiled, "and I'm honored you shared this with us."

"Yeah, and it makes ya even more weird, but in a good way!" Tate grinned.

Ellie did not take his comment offensively, if anything, her smile grew so big the others could see it clearly behind her trunk. Adah nodded to both of them, and began to leave. The daylight was slowly fading and it was time to go. The shemmoth waved goodbye with her trunk and followed after the grey saber, content in making new friends, and perhaps proving the others wrong and quelling their fears about Tate and Tala.

The she-wolf quietly watched Adah and Ellie as they left to join the rest of the herd. They talked to their friends who all seemed surprised about the results of their encounter. Even Manny and Diego, who kept in the back, were listening and it gave Tala some hope things between them and the herd would change for the better. Perhaps cooperation could be much easier and give them all a higher chance in avoiding Rufus and his wolves. She heard Tate chuckle lightly and her attention now focused on him, curious.

"What is it?"

"Do you feel it Tala? It's weird but even though I think dere crazy and most of dem are pre--..." he paused, for some reason he felt wrong for calling them prey. "Most of dem are not predators like us, but it feels like our pack."

"You're right. Despite their differences they still share that same bond between comrades. I was feeling rather homesick lately, but this is very comforting and I feel at ease for the first time since we lost our pack."

"Yeah." He saw Tala stifle a yawn. It was a tiring day for her which brought forth no results in their search for their pack. She walked away and Tate quickly followed after her. "You okay, Tala...err Major?"

"I'm a little tired, that's all."

"I found a nice spot bedded down with leaves. Its soft and it's not far so we can keep an eye on these guys." the golden-colored wolf offered. His commanding officer smiled warmly and did not protest as he took the lead.

"Thank you, Tate." she responded, calling him by his name rather than title.

Tate enjoyed it when she spoke to him casually and it made him want to wag his tail happily. No other female could make him feel the way he felt when he was around her, but it was her rank that made him hesitate. He quietly watched her as she circled around the bed of leaves before settling down. Her eyes closed as she placed her head on her delicate paws, her sides rising with each breathe. Tate felt himself holding his own as he gazed at her, and blinked when he noticed he was staring for a while. Nervously he backed off a bit, hoping she didn't notice. She was probably too tired to care. He decided to take the night shift and lay where he could keep his eyes on Tala and the herd.

"G'night, Tala" he whispered.

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**A/N: **Hello everyone! It's been a while, yes? Sorry for the wait though, I thought it would be nifty to update on the 31st. Another movie connection oh my goodness! XD This is one of my favorite chapters because of the conversation with Tate and Tala with Ellie. X3

Things will start to pick up with the wolves in the next chapter. Oh and incase any of you are wondering why Adah hasn't spoken up about Rufus and his wolves is because she has no idea it was them who attacked their pack. Ben's getting a case of de ja vu, trying to recall the memory. Will he remember later on? We shall see!

Thanks to everyone for reading and taking their time to review my fanfic, I really appreciate it! You take care of yourselves and have a great weekend! See ya! LOVE AND HUGS!


	24. Chapter 24: A Sure Encounter

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR: _"A Sure Encounter_"

The fire crackled as Sid tossed in a few more pieces of wood. He always enjoyed the look of the fire, how it lapped up the wood as if it were alive. Touching it however, was a lesson he learned the hard way so he made sure he kept a few feet away when he tossed in pieces of bark or at least used long sticks to tend to it. Once the sloth was content with the fire he waddled back to sit beside Cindy. Ellie lay next to them and Manny was on her other side. He was grateful the sloths decided not to sit between them this time.

Across the fire were the three sabers, along with Eddie and Crash who were still playing with Ben. Diego and Adah kept a good space in between them ever since they caught sight of the smug expressions plastered all over their friends' faces. Diego kept his focus on everything else but Adah which was more troublesome than he figured. Manny and Ellie were cozying up to one another, and Diego didn't need the firelight to tell him that his mammoth friend was turning red under the fur. Sid and Cindy were sharing the day's forage. Cindy picked off petals of a dandelion and playfully fed them to Sid. The tiger made a face thinking how utterly cheesy it all was, not to mention how cruel they were by rubbing it in his face.

While they were distracted his eyes shifted off to the side and looked at Adah. Her eyes were fixed on Ben who chased Crash and Eddie up a tree.

It reminded Diego of the hunting lesson he gave Ben earlier that day. It had been the cub's second lesson but he was catching on quick. Adah even came along to watch Ben practice and she seemed impressed. If anything, she was probably glad someone else was watching Ben instead of her. It took Diego a while to get used to Ben's antics even though they had Eddie, Crash, and Sid who provided more than enough excitement for the herd. When Ben approached Diego he found himself unable to ignore the cub as easily as he could with the others. Honestly, a part of him didn't want to. He figured it was because the kinship they had in both being sabers, and appreciated their company more than he would admit. At first he used Ben as a shield to keep away from the grey saber, but in the end it brought him closer to Adah. The cub and the female were close, and whatever he did, Adah had to know. Wherever he went, she would follow, and if the possums weren't around, Ben always followed Diego.

Diego's ears lowered when he came to the conclusion that maybe he wasn't using Ben as a shield, but a method to bring Adah to him. No. It wasn't true, it's a stupid idea...yet the more the cub talked to Diego; slowly, but surely Adah soon warmed up to him as well. He always tried to keep his distance though. The tiger could not accept her company as openly as his other two friends could with Ellie and Cindy. He was ruled by pride, and it clashed heavily with his growing feelings for her. He couldn't stand the image of Manny and Sid holding this over his head for the rest of his life. Diego preferred to do the teasing, not accept it.

A heavy sigh was heard in the darkness just beyond the firelight, and the herd turned their heads towards the sound. The light barely touched him, but his distinct gold colored fur told the others it was Tate. He rested quietly by a tree, and not further off was Tala who slept soundly in a bed of leaves. Manny felt Ellie nudging him and he turned to look at her.

"We should invite them over." she suggested, her voice in a low whisper.

"What? Why?" he resisted the urge to wince at his stupid response after seeing Ellie's brow furrow in discontent.

"Because it's a little chilly tonight, and they're all by their lonesome." she nudged him again a little more insistently.

"It's the Ice Age." Manny stated. "It's _always_ chilly."

Ellie still frowned and stared Manny down. He felt the others staring at him expectantly, save for Diego who could care less. The mammoth closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, finally giving in.

"Fine. They can stay."

If it wasn't nightfall Ellie probably would have cheered loudly, instead she rose to her feet and quietly made her way (as quiet as a mammoth could) to the two wolves. Cindy blinked; she pulled away the dandelion petal Sid was so eager to chomp on as she saw the shemmoth leaving.

"Where is Ellie going?" she asked Manny, ignoring Sid who eyed the petal with big eyes. His plight went unheard.

"To invite more campers to the fire." the entire mammoth said.

It didn't take Ellie long to coax the two wolves to join them by the fire, even with Tala who was asleep. Tate accepted her invitation happily to her surprise and delight, and gently woke Tala up who was startled at first but soon expressed her gratitude. The shemmoth returned to the group with the two wolves in tow who found an empty spot, and reveled in the warmth of the fire. They soon realized the other animals staring at them with cautious looks, save for Ellie who only smiled. Tala cleared her throat. She felt she had to say something to break this tension.

"Thank you for inviting us by the fire," she said softly, "we are used to sleeping in the dark and cold, but having this warmth is wonderful."

"You can thank Sid for that!" one of the possums declared. They had finally settled down and rested on Ben's back. Tala was still not familiar with the herd members by name and could only guess which one was Sid. It didn't take long for him to be noticed.

"Yep! You can call me Fire-King, or 'your highness' will do nicely!" he turned his neck just in time to be fed another petal by Cindy who giggled at his announcement. Tala smiled, amused by his behavior, and Cindy's. She noticed the she-sloth had been sneaking in her own bites whenever Sid was not looking.

"Dat's really something." Tate complimented as he looked at the fire, "And I only thought humans could make fire."

"Unlike us sloths, all of you quadrupeds are at a disadvantage. We have opposable thumbs!" Sid held up his claws and wiggled his digits. Manny simply shook his head, too content beside Ellie to argue with Sid.

"It's little compensation." Diego snorted. Sid turned his attention to his carnivorous friend, clueless to the tiger's comment.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Your lack of a brain, Sid." was his response. Tate chuckled, and Diego glowered at him. Coolly, he continued. "You and mutt face over here rival each other in intelligence."

"Ey!" Tate snapped, "Dun compare me to dat over grown weasel dere!"

"I'm not a weasel, I'm a sloth!" Sid corrected, and then whispered to Cindy. "Diego's right, this guy is dumb."

"I can hear you." Tate growled, "and I knew you were a sloth!"

"I rest my case." Diego sighed. Manny resisted the urge to snicker, and quietly shook his head. Glancing around he noticed most of the herd had fallen asleep. Ben and the possums snored quietly and Adah had quietly dozed off. He heard Ellie yawn and in response he stroked his trunk down the length of her own.

"Alright, children it's time for bed." Manny spoke, "And yes I do mean you, Sid. I don't want to hear another peep out of you."

"Awww, but I'm not---" as he began to say the word "sleepy" he let out a huge yawn.

Instead of finishing his sentence he merely scratched his side and decided to comply with the mammoth's request. Cindy decided to quickly finish off the remnants of the dandelion she had been feeding to Sid and call it a night herself. The group shifted in their spots, working to get comfortable before they slept. Soon the entire herd was asleep except for Diego, and Tate.

The wolf yawned and shook his head "What a day."

"You sound disappointed mutt-face," Diego eyed him, "discouraged that you couldn't make a meal out of one of my friends?"

"Yer not very trusting, are ya? C'mon, haven't we proved we're not da bad guys?" Tate asked, but his only response was Diego giving him a dubious look. The wolf sighed and placed his head down. "Sheesh, what do I gotta do ta prove myself?"

"Jump off a cliff." was the tiger's response.

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The moon had reached its zenith, its shape slowly waning as the days passed, but it still managed to cast its soft sheen. Below, within the frozen canyon cradled by the shelves of the glacier wall, Rufus's pack was in an uproar. They yipped, howled and sparred with one another. All of them have been anxious ever since the two scouts returned with their news. The herd was practically standing at their front door. All they had to do was capture their target; the young heir to Hagar's pack. As the wolves continued with their activities, Rufus was the only one who remained calm. No one bothered him, or talked to him when he was in this state. The red wolf paced slowly from one end of his stone slab to the other. His members knew he was strategizing a plan and they waited eagerly, but never showed their impatience lest they roused their leader's anger.

"Tomorrow." The red wolf declared. His deep, hoarse voice rang through the air and the others fell still. "We shall execute the plan tomorrow, and then we execute the cub. Hagar will unknowingly exact our revenge on the West Dire for us!"

The wolves howled this time, and Rufus held up a paw for them to cease.

"What is your plan, Major?" a brown wolf asked, almost shouting in excitement. The others nodded, murmuring in consent.

Their leader smirked. "The scouts mentioned this herd splits apart temporarily when they are foraging. Our young saber friend is barely weaned, too young to hunt for himself and they'll keep him behind while his elders find him food. This is our moment, my comrades. However, we must count the chance he may not be alone for long. Perhaps he will join his friends."

"What do we do then?" another asked.

"We've observed his daily patterns." One wolf stepped up to address his pack-mates. It was one of the scouts. "The cub usually keeps with the possums, or the two sabers, but never at the same time. The male seems to avoid the female."

Rufus nodded. "Very well, when the mammoths are gone we strike. Whether he is alone or with one of the sabers we attack swiftly to confuse them, hopefully split them apart if possible. It will make it easier to herd him to the canyon. The ice traps will do the rest."

"And what are we going to do about the scouts, Major Rufus? Major Tala and Lieutenant Tate?"

"They are not our concern at the moment. Should the lieutenant try and intervene I want him taken care of immediately, but I want the Major to remain unharmed at all costs should we run into her." Rufus said without hesitation. His wolves nodded, none of them dared to question his motives.

Rufus hated Tate with a passion. Because of his inexperience Tala looked more like a babysitter instead of his superior. He respected her and it pained him to watch her constantly apologizing to their pack leader for Tate's mistakes. The lieutenant was a joke and the mere thought of him made Rufus' hackles stand on end.

"Get some rest, all of you." The red wolf ordered, "Tomorrow is an important day."

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Today was an important day for Cindy. The female sloth rose up early in the morning instead of sleeping in. She wasn't as lazy as Sid was who snored blissfully as she waddled off. She smiled to herself. The sloth was amazed how deep her feelings ran for him, despite his (many) flaws. He was a complete sweetheart. Cindy didn't like leaving Sid on his own, but she knew he could survive the morning without her.

The she-sloth wanted to do some special foraging for Ellie. The others had woken up a couple of hours ago to do their own foraging. Ellie and Manny left together, while Diego went off to hunt. Cindy could hear Eddie, Crash and Ben laughing in the distance, and knew Adah would be somewhere nearby. She also knew Diego would not be gone long since Tate and Tala both left the camp site undetected. She didn't see them as bad wolves just like she didn't see Adah or Diego as bad tigers. For a while her instinct naturally told her to be careful, but she soon began to learn things were safe as safe could be.

"Good morning, Cindy." came a voice. Cindy almost jumped in surprise and turned to see it was Adah who made her way to the sloth.

"Good morning, Adah!" she waved almost dropping the forage she had already collected. Adah looked at her curiously.

"Is all of that for you?"

"Oh no, silly! I wanted to surprise Ellie with this! I'm sure she'd like it. This is a yummy green Rose introduced me to." she began to waddle off again. Adah followed behind her and Cindy took notice. "Want to help me?"

"I'm not an expert on green things, but I'd feel better if I did tag along. Sid would never forgive me if something happened to you."

"Oh Adah, don't be so paranoid! What's the worst that could happen?"

"_RAWR!_"

Ben pounced in front of Cindy and Adah, startling them both. The sloth screamed, tossing the greens up in the air. Eddie and Crash burst into a fit of laughter, both sitting along the cub's back. Ben joined in the laughter but yelped in pain as Adah nipped him harshly.

"Aww Adah!"

"What's the matter with you?" she growled. Her ears flattened when she realized Ben was still smirking. The cub did not regret his actions, and the snickers from the two possums only encouraged him.

"I'm sorry, Adah, Cindy." he tried to contain his mirth, "I was only practicing my stealth. Boy did I scare you good!"

"Did you see the looks on their faces?" Crash laughed still. Adah frowned as Eddie and Ben joined the other possum and looked at Cindy apologetically. The sloth smiled and simply gathered what she had dropped.

"It's not funny!" the grey saber scolded them all. "We almost thought you were another predator!"

"Aw don't be such a downer, miss kitty!" Crash spoke, slightly flinching as Adah stared at him. "Diego, Tater, and his girlfriend are gone. It's just you!"

"And me!" Ben added.

"Like I said," Crash ignored the cub, "Just you! What's the worst that could happen?"

"_NOW!_"

The new, strange voice seemed to resonate from all around them. In the blink of an eye, wolves appeared from behind the trees, suddenly surrounding them. Cindy just finished picking up the last of her greens looked up in time to see two wolves lunge at her.

She didn't even have time to scream but she felt a strong tug from behind and was yanked away from the snapping jaws. Shocked, she dropped her forage again and it flew in all directions. She heard the wolves snapping and snarling and wasn't entirely sure if they were confused or attacking. Again, she Cindy felt that tugging, and then she was tossed, landing on something soft and warm. Before she could think the sloth was moving at a speed that was not her own.

"Ben! Follow me and keep close!" Adah shouted, and bolted off with Cindy on her back. Ben dashed after her and the possums clung desperately to his hackles. Both sabers cleared a small opening in the circle of wolves that surrounded them.

The sloth didn't dare look back, but she knew they were chasing them. Cindy's eyes were half shut. She was not used to moving at this speed, and she would have enjoyed it if it were not due to the frightening circumstances. The forest passed in a blur, and all around she could hear the howls, Ben and Adah crashing through the brush, and the grey saber's breathing which did not labor even at this insane pace. Cindy felt herself gasping as three wolves sprang from the trees on their right. Adah snarled at them but could not fight; she only turned sharply to the left and continued while herding Ben to go where she went as quickly as possible.

How many wolves were there? It seemed like every group they encountered attempted the same strategy as the previous; two or three wolves would ambush them from the side, driving the group in a zigzag pattern. Soon the forest seemed to break and the glacier wall came into view. The pack of wolves vanished once they found the mouth of the canyon and finally stopped. Ben's breathing labored, unlike Adah he was not built for hard running. Cindy marveled at the cub's resilience while Eddie and Crash gave him encouraging pats to the shoulder.

"Are you alright, Ben?" Adah asked.

Before Ben could respond a wolf jumped from a shelf above them. Crash and Eddie shouted at the top of their lungs, their cries echoed through the canyon walls. Cindy gasped as Adah shoved into Ben, urging him forward and keeping between him and the wolf threat.

The group encountered the wolves again who still continued with their strategy. The ambush groups would appear through one pathway and chase them into another. The wolves anticipated their movements perfectly. How could they keep ahead when they were behind? Cindy saw Adah gaze upwards and the sloth saw shelves protruding out of some of the icy rock walls. They gave perfect access from the ground up to the cliffs, and she caught sight of a few wolves atop rushing to intersect Ben and Adah at the next pathway. Cindy grew alarmed, soon aware that the pack was herding them down a certain pathway, and the others realized it too. They were at a terrible disadvantage not knowing the terrain or the way out, and when Adah tried to force her way past one ambushing wolf, two more would come to reinforce their comrade.

Soon their narrow canyon pathway widened and ascended to a wide cliff platform. There was nothing before them but the cliff's edge, and Cindy's heart leapt. The canyon had shelves along its walls close enough to climb up and down as one pleased. They could descend the cliff side and avoid the wolves that came from behind. It appeared her grey friend thought the same thing and made straight for the cliff's edge with Ben scrambling to keep up. Before the saber could reach the cliff, there was a sudden cracking noise, and then Cindy suddenly felt weightless. The ice beneath Adah crumbled, and she and Cindy plummeted, the ground below rushing up to meet them.

"Adah! Cindy!!" Above them, the voices of Ben, Crash, and Eddie seemed dull, faded out. Cindy's eyes fluttered shut and felt a heavy sleepiness overcome her. She didn't know what became of Adah, she did not feel her fur underneath her anymore, just cold, hard ground.

It was supposed to be an important day, but now it was the most terrifying day in Cindy's entire life.

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**A/N: **OMG an update! XD Ah, I'm sorry for the wait everyone! It has been pretty busy over here and I've been trying to plan ahead for when I should update. I wanted to revise this chapter a bit too. I hope the action/drama part at the end makes sense to you XB

And holy moly! 200 REVIEWS! You guys are SO AWESOME! I never thought this fanfic would get more than 20 when I first started XD But gosh, you guys like it! You really like it! You have my assurance that it will be finished, and I won't drop it either. Cuz if I did, I would face the wrath of Shincinati! XD

Have a great weekend everyone, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! LOVE AND HUGS!


	25. Chapter 25: Prison

**A/N:** Hey everyone! I tried to update sooner this time since I had some free time. It sucks being busy P XD But like always, I hope everyone who has been following my fic enjoys this chapter!

Also, I know Ice Age is a comedy, and some people have been asking for humor and romance but right now its time for the serious drama stuff. I'm entitled to have my share of it! I posted over twenty previous chapters of humor and mush, I think I'm allowed to write some serious stuff here XD I just hope it doesn't disappoint. I do my best just to let you all know!

Well I better stop babbling and let you read. Enjoy the chapter and the weekend (Spider-man 3 WOO!!)

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CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE: "_Prison_"

Adah groaned, and pain shot through her as soon as she tried to move. Panicked gripped her, fearing she broke something during the fall. Slowly, she pulled herself up and checked for injuries. She was fine, if only sore and Adah heaved a sigh of relief. Things were still not fine, however. Turning, Adah spotted Cindy lying unconscious on the ground. Urgently she bent to nose the female sloth but she was unmoving. Her ears lowered. Cindy was breathing lightly, but she worried that the sloth was not so lucky during the fall. The saber looked up from where they fell. It was high, but Adah felt she could make the jump, but what about Cindy? She wasn't sure she had the strength to carry her up.

"Adah! Cindy!" the echoes of Ben's cries filled the enclosure. Adah looked above her and the trio peered down into the hole. "Are you two alright?"

"I think I'm alright, but I'm not so sure about Cindy. She's out cold." she responded.

Ben pulled back slightly and walked around the trap's edge. Crash and Eddie did the same, all three searched for an easy and safe method to get them out. There were no pathways or shelves; the hole led them down a sheer drop.

"Ben? Ben!"

The cub answered Adah's call by peering back into the hole again. "What is it, Adah?"

"You need to go." she ordered, "You can make your way down the side of this cliff to avoid the wolves. Find the others, and tell them what happened!"

"But what about you?"

"They're not important."

The two possums yelped in surprise, and Ben spun around to see the group of wolves gathered behind them. The one who spoke made his way to the front. He was large, and red, and his yellow eyes made the cub shudder. Rufus couldn't help but grin, showing off his teeth.

"It's good to see you again, son of Hagar." the red wolf bowed his head mockingly.

Ben took a step back, his hind leg slipped slightly as he stepped to close to the hole's edge. He stared at Rufus like the wolf already killed him. An oddly familiar feeling came over Ben as he gaped at the wolf, and sudden realization slapped him in the face like cold water. This was the one he met when he was separated from his pack! He was sure of it! Ben couldn't remember all of the details during their first encounter, but one look and Ben just knew. Once realizing this, panic struck him. His father was not here, and Adah was unable to help. Ben was alone, and at the mercy of the red wolf standing before him.

And Rufus would show none.

"Don't be frightened little cub," Rufus stepped closer. Ben slowly backed away, carefully footing around the hole, never taking his eyes off the wolf. He could feel Crash and Eddie shivering on his back. "You'll have the honor of being the catalyst of a grand plan. You're death will bring us justice. It's nothing personal, just politics."

Without warning, Rufus snarled, lunging at Ben with a quickness only a true killer could possess. The cub panicked, instinctively wanting to flee, but he had no direction to move except back. Not even thinking about it, Ben barely dodged the snapping jaws only to lose his footing when he came to the edge of the cliff. Crash and Eddie yelped as the body underneath them slid down the side of the cliff wall. All three of them shut their eyes tightly; bracing for a painful fall, but there was nothing but a _THUD!_ Eddie opened one eye and saw Ben had slipped down the wall and onto a ledge jutting out of the side of the cliff.

"We're alive!"

"Not for long! After them, quickly!" above them Rufus barked orders to his soldiers and three appeared over the cliff above them, looking for a shelf to jump down to. The possums grabbed at Ben's short hackles and shook vigorously.

"Keep going!" Crash shouted. Ben stood on all fours and looked around frantically for another shelf to jump to. Eddie hopped on his head and pointed downwards.

"There! There! Go there!"

Ben jumped with no hesitation and landed roughly onto the next shelf. Behind him, the wolves were already picking their way down as well, while the possums became the cub's navigators, pointing to the next possible shelf for Ben to jump to. Most of the jutting shelves were small and narrow and Ben did his best to keep his footing. Their hearts leapt as the ground drew closer and the wolves' snarling became more distant. One more leap and Ben was on solid ground…for the moment.

"What now?" Ben breathed, "what if we fall into a trap hole?"

"Crash! It's up to us now!" Eddie shook his brother, and then yanked him off the cub's back. The ground was more slippery than he anticipated and the two possums slid ahead of Ben. "Sniff the way out, Ben, and we'll scout ahead for thin ice!"

"And hurry!" Crash yelled, pointing above them.

The other two looked up to see the wolves still making their way down the shelves. They did not have the agility of a cat, but now they were in view and still coming. Ben inhaled deeply, silently vowing he'd come back for Adah and Cindy. He caught their own trail when they were first chased into the canyon and motioned to the possums which direction to go.

"Let's go, Crash!"

Eddie scurried ahead and his brother followed. Ben loped after them, stopping when the possums stopped when they checked the ground for possible ice traps. Eddie sniffed around while Crash hopped on one spot to another. Crash gave Ben a thumb's up, signaling him the area was clear and the cub followed their exact pathway, continuing on down the canyon as quickly and as carefully as possible. It felt like they would never find their way out until trees began appearing around the canyon walls. Eddie and Crash kept in front of Ben, still checking for traps, even though they all wanted to make a run for it. Behind them, the wolves howled, followed by a few yelps. They must have been getting reckless, and the trio only hoped a few wolves accidentally fell into the traps they worked so hard to avoid.

"Freedom! Sweet freedom!" Eddie laughed, soon joined by Crash and Ben as they cleared the canyon walls, welcomed by the green forests (and solid ground). Crash tackled his brother, and in their mirth, engaged in a play-fight. Ben also laughed, half-prancing but stopped himself and yanked the two possums upright by their tails.

"We don't have time! We need to find the others! They'll know what to do!" with their tails still in his mouth, Ben yanked them up onto his back before breaking into a run. The wolves that were ordered to give chase finally appeared from the canyon opening. Two of them panted, and their third companion lost; victim to the ice traps. One of them sniffed the air and broke into a run while the other, panting and exhausted, simply followed.

The wolf who took the lead nimbly weaved through the trees, following the cub's scent. He almost laughed to himself. He chased prey faster and smarter than this! The canine let out a howl -- long, and ragged, signaling to his companion they were almost upon their prey. However, the scent changed, mingling with new ones. It was not just saber, but something moldy like fungus. The most distinct was the thick musky scent of a mammoth. Before he could react to this new discovery, the discovery reacted to him!

_WHACK!_

The wolf yelped as he slid across the ground. Pain stung his side, and he shook his head to regain his wits only to see a dark-colored mammoth charging at him. He barely dodged the mammoth's swinging trunk, only to crash into his partner who just arrived. Both were tangle-limbed and it gave Manny enough time to smack them both down. The two wolves yelped and tumbled across the ground, struggling to get on their feet. Fear overcame duty and both wolves made a break for it, retreating with their tails between their legs. Crash, Eddie, and Ben cheered, praising their rescuer who tried not to look too smug about it.

The three young animals heaved a huge sigh of relief then. Luckily they had spotted the herd who just met up with Tate. Ellie took her brothers in her trunk and held them close to her face. Crash and Eddie reveled in her attention but yelped as she suddenly shook them.

"What on earth were you thinking?! We heard a commotion and you were missing. Didn't mom always tell us to hide in the trees if there was danger?"

"But-but-but!" Eddie could only manage between shakes. Ben yanked at her tusk to gain her attention.

"It was the wolves, Ellie! They led us into the canyon to trap us, and Adah and Cindy got caught!"

"What!?" Sid exclaimed, he grabbed Ben and shook him. "What did they do to her? Tell me she's okay!!"

"Hey! Ease up, Sid!" Diego yanked the sloth back by the neck, but Sid only turned his panic on Diego. The tiger growled, and knocked Sid upside his head. "I said ease up!" he looked at Ben, "Okay kid, mind running that by us _slowly_ this time?"

Ben huffed, trying to calm down. He couldn't just sit and talk when two friends were in danger! He tried to think of what his father taught him, and the cub's breaths slowed.

"A pack of wolves attacked us this morning." he began. Shock registered on all their faces, with Eddie and Crash nodding to what Ben said. "It was the red wolf Miss Tala warned us about! They chased us into a canyon and we kept running until Adah and Cindy fell into an ice-trap. Adah told me to get help, so we need to go now!"

"You can't!" came Tate. "Dat's what Rufus will expect! You're da target! If he had his soldiers chase you, it's gotta be you, kid."

"Hey, why can't we be the target?" Crash whined only to be smacked by Eddie. Diego eyed the wolf suspiciously. Manny, too, looked at him skeptically but Tate did his best to ignore them. His focus was on Ben who was confused at what Tate just said.

"Why would I be the target?" Ben asked. He looked around nervously as if the others would suddenly resent him for it, but they were just as confused.

"Did he say anything to you?" Tate asked.

"No, not really..." Ben paused, and then jumped, "Wait! He knew my father!"

"You're father?"

"Hagar!"

"Dat's it!" Tate jumped this time.

He was not smart to know the political side of his pack but he was smart enough to know the name of Hagar. He was the large saber with the equally large pack that had bordered the territory of his own. Once realizing this, putting Rufus' plan together came all to easy. He was going to start a war. No, a massacre! If Ben was killed then the sabers would be calling for blood --- his pack's blood! And they would be unaware as of why. How he wished that Tala were here, she would know what to do. He realized the others were still staring at him, expecting Tate to share in his revelation.

Shaking out of his daze, he spoke. "Dis kid is a political pawn. If Rufus gets to you, he'll blame it on our pack."

Ben suddenly got the picture "Dad would go crazy! He'd hunt your pack down even when you didn't do anything!"

"Exactly!"

"Okay, so what do we do?" Manny asked. Sid yanked at the mammoth's tusk in a panic.

"We got to help them! Cindy! Cindy's in trouble! AHH" again he was yanked by Diego.

"Calm down!"

"I can't be calm! How can you be calm knowing that Adah is in trouble!?" he grabbed Diego by his two large saber teeth. He pulled away from the sloth, unable to say anything or look at him. The sloth calmed down, realizing it affected the saber more than he thought.

"I'll head to the canyon." the tiger said quietly.

"You're not going alone, pal." Manny added, stepping up.

"I'm going too!" Sid cried. Manny winced, feeling his wooly fur being tugged on as the sloth clambered up his shoulder and sat on the mammoth's back. Manny turned to face Ellie who waited in anticipation for her orders.

"You stay here Ellie." he said.

"What? Hey, I can help!" she frowned, "They're my friends too!"

"I know, I know! I just don't want you to get hurt, that's all."

"Manny we don't have time for this!" he heard Diego calling. Even Sid agreed as he kicked him lightly in his panicked state. Everything spun around for Manny; he didn't know what to do. Tate came up and looked at Ellie.

"Could you find Tala? Please?" he asked, "She needs to know what's happening. She'll know what to do when you tell her!"

To Manny's relief, Ellie smiled and nodded. She released her brothers from her trunk and they rushed up to her head. Ellie looked at Manny and gave him a quick nuzzle before heading in the other direction. "Be careful, Manny. You're a big guy, but who knows what can happen."

He nodded and the two mammoths headed off in their own directions. Tate ran ahead of Manny to lead the way, but before they could set a fast pace, Ben came running after them.

"I'm going to!" he shouted. Tate skidded to a halt and looked back. Manny lumbered past him, ignoring the cub, but Diego stayed back to meet Ben as he came up. "I need to go! I want to help Adah."

"Are you deaf, kid? Didn't you hear what the mutt said?" Ben did his best to keep his head up even as Diego snapped at him. "It's best if you stay behind."

"But--"

"You're not coming, end of story!"

Diego walked off but he heard Ben again. "I'll follow you anyway!"

He knew Ben was going to be stubborn but now was not the time to be so. In a quick motion Diego turned and shoved into the cub knocking him off his feet.

"Adah wanted you to be safe, so why don't you listen to her for once and stay put!" the cub flinched, not saying anything, but he reluctantly gave in. Diego sighed and backed off. "I'll bring her back, I promise."

And with that said, Diego rushed off to catch up to the others. Ben stared sadly after the other tiger till he vanished. He shook himself. This wasn't the time to mope and feel useless! Ben turned around and ran after Ellie.

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"Hey Diego, glad you could join us." Manny said with all sarcasm. Diego only huffed, running ahead of Manny's large form finding Tate in the place the tiger usually took.

"You better not be leading us into a trap, muttface!" Diego growled. The gold-colored wolf kept a good distance from him, but he managed to look back.

"We're not going over dis again, are we? I said before you can trust me!" Diego said nothing and allowed Tate to take the lead. Behind him, he could hear Manny crashing through the trees while Sid made noises as he was bounced and tossed from Mammoth's movements.

Diego found he was unable to think of anything else except the wolves Ben talked about. This red wolf Tate and Tala mentioned, and the condition he feared Adah would be in. He clenched his teeth, feeling a growl rising up. Diego couldn't trust Tate no matter how much he assured them, all he felt was anger and uncertainty. Then again, Sid and Manny must have felt the same way when he came to confess to them his betrayal. All they had from Diego was his word, just like Tate gave to them now.

"Dere it is!" Tate called. Ahead of them was the canyon mouth. Their pace slowed as they approached and Tate still kept in the front. "Careful. Dis place has lots of patches of thin ice. It's how we caught our food so be sure to step where I step."

"Careful, Manny ol' buddy." Sid urged his friend, who reluctantly followed. "See? Didn't I tell you that losing your fat hair would be a good thing?"

"Shut up, Sid."

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Rufus paced in front of the trap hole, looking down into it as he passed. Adah curled up beside Cindy, nudging her often, hoping she would regain consciousness. She flinched when Rufus snapped and snarled.

"Something is wrong. They would have been back by now!" he eyed the pathway leading down to the canyon.

He anticipated the fact Ben would not be the one to fall in the trap, but he didn't expect him to cause this much trouble. He was just a cub; he couldn't have run far before his wolves caught up to him. Even the canyon and its myriad of hidden traps should have been a hindrance to him. So where were his wolves and their prize? Nowhere to be seen.

"Major Rufus, we have enemies approaching!" a scout came running up the pathway. "Lieutenant Tate was seen in the canyon with the mammoth, and tiger!"

"What?!" below he spotted Adah growing anxious. He quickly decided these two could be used as leverage against the others. He raised his head defiantly, "Let them come. Keep a circle around this hole. Don't let the mammoth near it, I'll take care of the tiger and the lieutenant."

The wolves did as Rufus ordered as he made his way to the front of the pack. The red wolf spotted Tate making his way up the path, and he skidded to a halt upon seeing the ex-major. Behind him the mammoth came to a stop, glaring at him and his pack, but the most menacing was the tiger. Diego rushed past Manny and up next to Tate, growling at Rufus. It was a challenge if there ever was one, and the red wolf sneered.

"Come to take what's yours?" he spoke in a mocking tone.

"We came for our friends." Manny stated.

"I don't wish to drag you into our political war." Rufus acted casual, but the group kept on their guard. "Give us the cub in exchange for your friends."

"No." said Diego, "You'll _give_ us our friends."

His yellow eyes glinted, and squared himself to fight. "The only thing I will give you is your _death_!"


	26. Chapter 26: Breakthrough

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: "_Breakthrough_"

After Rufus' threat, the red wolf moved slowly toward the group, mostly keeping his eye on Diego and Tate. Tate kept behind Diego as the saber circled the wolf. Both predators were growling low, sizing up one another. Manny side-stepped, keeping out of their way, and faced the five wolves that kept around the hole where Cindy and Adah fell into.

Sid held tight to Manny's wooly fur, his courage slowly leaving him the more he stared at the wolves before the mammoth. As ordered, Rufus' pack guarded the trap hole Cindy and Adah were in, and before Manny could make a move, the missing two ran past him from behind, joining their companions. Three wolves stood in the front, with two in the back and one on each side of the hole. Sid heard Manny huff, stamping one large foot in defiance, or maybe nervousness, he could not tell. To the other side of them, the sloth spotted Diego and Tate facing off with Rufus. At this moment Sid felt entirely useless, Diego and Manny had claws, teeth, and tusks to fend off attackers, but Sid had nothing. He wanted to do something to help. Cindy's life was in danger, he had to do something.

His grip tightened as Manny charged, rearing up as much as his weight could allow him to, trying to intimidate the wolves. They looked frightened, but they did not scatter. To a mammoth, wolves were not a particular threat unlike sabers, but it didn't mean their teeth still couldn't hurt. Manfred swung his head from side to side, tusks threatening to knock the nearest one away. He tried to herd them from the hole before actually striking any wolf. Who knew what trouble would happen should one fall into the trap with their friends.

"Manny! Behind you!" Sid cried.

Manny turned as quick as he could only to hear the yelp of a wolf who tried to attack from behind. His large leg smacked into the dog, but with his attention focused on that, the rest of the pack decided to make their move. The three wolves in the front charged. Sid cried out again and Manny turned to face them, luckily knocking the first one with his tusks. The two wolves guarding the opposite sides of the hole joined their companions in the assault, but the two guarding the back kept vigil on their trapped victims. The other pack members worked to surround Manny and Sid, all of them barking and snarling, trying to confuse and scare the mammoth. Manny winced as a couple took a snap at his limbs. He tried swinging his tusks at them, but they dodged and darted. Some feinted leaving him open to the attacks of their other companions. Sid tried his best to coach and warn Manny of behind attacks, but slowly, they both saw, the wolves were trying to herd Manny towards the edge of the cliff. And with all his might, Manfred did his best to hold his ground.

Across the way, Rufus smirked smugly. Diego saw his friend's dilemma and immediately charged to Manny's aid, but a flash of red suddenly came before him. The red wolf blocked the tiger's path, snarling this time. Diego replied with one of his own. Behind him Tate approached, but it didn't seem to intimidate Rufus one bit. He was determined to keep the two from helping the mammoth, even if he had to fight them both at once. Again, Diego snarled and this time he swung a paw at the red wolf, but he easily dodged.

"Get out of my way," the saber ordered, his muscles were taut, ready to pounce at any notice.

Rufus eyed him carefully, moving slowly lest he trigger an attack. Behind Diego, Tate paced anxiously, attention focused on the ex-major, but Rufus paid him little heed. Rufus' main concern was the tiger. Both he and Diego were of the same height and heft, which was not uncommon for a dire wolf. Yet he knew Diego had larger teeth and sharp claws, and one well-aimed hit from either would end the wolf. Right now, Rufus tried to stall in order to think of a way to deal with Diego. Tate was a more simple matter and he could deal with him later.

"A few more moments and my wolves will have your friend against the cliff's edge," he taunted, "It's been a while since we had mammoth meat, so we'll definitely savor it. Although I'm not very fond of sloth, and I've never tried saber, but waste not, want not."

"I don't think so!" Angered, Diego roared and lunged, swinging a paw at Rufus again, but the wolf only dodged.

Diego kept on him this time, surprising the wolf. Tate saw the chance to come at him from the opposite end but Rufus anticipated this and rushed past Diego. The saber turned to continue after him but collided with Tate. The gold-colored wolf yelped and was then shoved off by Diego, irritated and his ego bruised yet again. Ahead of them Rufus only grinned. How easy they fell for such simple tricks. It was also easy to rouse the tiger's anger, and if he did it enough, he would be too distracted to anticipate a serious attack.

"Do me a favor, mutt-face." Diego began, and Rufus realized he was talking to Tate. "Keep out of my way, or else I'm going to hurt you like your red pal here."

"Geez, I was only trying to help ya, kitty-littah"

"Stop calling me that!"

"Stop calling me mutt-face! You started it after all!"

"You're seriously trying to pick a fight _now?_"

Rufus laughed, bringing the two out of their argument. "This is incredible! By now I could have dealt with you both."

"Yeah? Well why didn't you?" Diego taunted. Rufus stood tall. His confidence annoyed the heck out of Diego.

"I wanted this to be a fair fight." he said coolly.

"Two against one is hardly fair." Tate barked a laugh, but Rufus only smirked.

"I thought it would be a good handicap for you two."

"I don't need one!" Diego lunged without warning.

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_The small cub approached the large saber sitting before him, sniffing curiously at the new visitor. It was uncommon for a cub his age to wander off from his mother so often, but she did not worry. Behind the cub stood his father, just as vigilant as his mate when it came to protecting his son. At the moment, however, Hagar was calm. He knew the saber before him had a reputation of being vicious and fierce, but a cub did not interest his brother, Soto._

"_Have you named him yet?"_

"_Ben." Hagar answered with pride in his voice. "His name is Ben."_

_Hagar's younger brother bent his head down to meet the cub. One snort from his large nostrils could have sent his nephew flying back. He pulled away before Ben could swat at his face. _

_"Awfully small, isn't he, Hagar?"_

_"You were small too, Soto. A runt, father called you, and look how you turned out." Hagar smiled. Soto bristled, glaring daggers at his brother, but his temper cooled. "It runs in the family. Soon he will be large as both of us."_

_Soto lifted his forepaw as the cub tried to engage in play. He ignored his nephew's antics and looked at Hagar. "He's got a lot to learn."_

_"He's a smart cub for his age."_

_"Reckless."_

_"Brave, and inquisitive."_

_"You know what mother used to say about that."_

_"An old cat's tale," Hagar shrugged. "He'll grow to be a fine saber."_

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Even though the cub's mind was elsewhere, his paws had no trouble following after Ellie's lumbering form. Ben's mind was a tangle of thoughts, and for some reason all he could think about was a specific memory back when he was still a nursling cub. Diego's words reminded him of everything else other's had said to him; helpless, reckless, troublesome. Ben didn't want to be any of those things. His father believed in his potential, and he wanted Adah, and his new friends see him in that light too. The others needed help, and that's what he was going to get.

So where the heck would they start looking in order to find Tala?

"This has to be it!" Ellie said, bringing Ben back to the present. She paused and rubbed her head with her trunk. "At least I think it is."

"There's no way in!" Crash exclaimed. Mammoth, possums, and tiger all looked up at the towering rock wall before them.

"What about there?" Eddie pointed. Crash shoved his brother aside and looked to see a small cave opening in the wall. Both possums slid down their sister's trunk to inspect it. Crash waved for Ben to come over and the cub did so. All three peeked in.

"Go on, Ben." Eddie urged, "Go inside!"

"Uh...o-okay."

Ben took a sniff at the cave; it didn't smell dangerous but he didn't like it. Still, he wanted to be brave even though he wasn't sure why Ellie headed to this spot in particular. He took a deep breath as the possums gave him a thumb's up. Smiling nervously, Ben stepped into the cave entrance.

Only to be shoved right out!

"Oh, excuse me! I didn't know this entrance was guarded."

"Rose!" Ellie bent down to peek into the cave. Ben moved aside as Rose waddled out into the daylight. She squinted, staring at the four figures for some time before recognizing the giant blur before her.

"Ellie!" the red she-sloth hugged the shemmoth's trunk in a sloth hug.

Ellie smiled and giggled, wrapping her trunk around the sloth, returning the hug. As they hugged, noises from the cave caught the attention of the possums and cub. Lavender, followed by a small troop of mini-sloths emerged from the entrance. They chattered in surprise causing the others to take a step back. Rose slid down from Ellie's trunk and stood between the two groups.

"It's alright, Lavender!" she spoke, "They're friends -- herd-mates to your fire-king!"

At the mention of their deity the mini-sloths fell to the ground, bowing. Crash looked at Eddie and made a circle motion with his finger to near his head. Rose only smiled, and turned to face her friends again.

"It's so nice of you to visit! They made me matriarch in my Sidney's absence! Where is he anyway?"

"That's why we're here, Rose. Manny, Sid, and Diego went to find Adah and Cindy." she tried speaking as calmly as possible, not wanting to send Rose into a panic.

"They're in trouble!" Eddie came in, hopping up and down. "A group of wolves attacked us and they trapped Cindy and Adah!"

"Tater went with them but we're supposed to find his girlfriend! I don't know how she can help; we could be wasting time for all we know!" Crash added, also in a panic.

"Tater set a trap! I just know it!"

"Will you two be quiet?" Ellie scolded.

Immediately, her two brothers shushed, huddling close together for comfort and restraint. Rose looked confused and worried at the same time, unable to speak, trying to take in all that was said. Ben understood why Ellie came now. It was only right for Sid's family to know, but the look on her face made his heart sink, as if she just received news of her son's death. That was not going to happen.

"Don't worry, Mrs. Rose. Once we find Ms. Tala we'll rush back to help Sid." he tried to reassure her.

"Wolf?" Lavender spoke, walking up beside Rose. Everyone else looked down at the small sloth. She only smiled and blinked her big googly eyes. "Mini-sloth tribe know of wolves!"

"Do you, Lavender?" Rose almost exclaimed.

"Yes, one was spotted this morning asking for her pack. We gave her directions to head to the fissure in the crescent formation. Due to the floods, I believe it has driven them to look for new tracking grounds. You should probably look there."

The others stared at Lavender and her sudden knack in articulate speech. Crash and Eddie made similar faces of bafflement.

"Dude, that was so weird." Crash said.

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"To your left! No, right! Front! Right! Manny!"

"I know, Sid! _I know!_" Manny snapped as he took a step back to avoid a wolf.

Inch by inch the pack slowly urged Manny closer to the cliff's edge. The ones attacking from behind had moved to join the ones in the front to begin a full-on assault. It was instinct for Manny to move back away from them, but Sid's shouts brought him out of it and the mammoth charged, gaining a bit of ground every time. He faced seven wolves in the beginning, with the last two still guarding the hole Cindy and Adah were in. He managed to knock two others out; a well-timed swing from his trunk sent them both over the cliff. Shelves or not, he knew they wouldn't be returning right away, if at all.

Snarling caught Manny and Sid's attention, but it was not from the pack in front of them. Roaring followed soon after and they knew it was Diego. Both Diego and Tate fought with Rufus, but he dodged most of their heavy hits. Every time Diego had a clear opening on Rufus the other wolf would get in the way, causing the two allies to bicker with one another. The tiger did his best to keep his anger in check though half the time he wanted to tear Tate limb from limb. He needed to keep Rufus at a distance should he be distracted so he could react quickly enough when the wolf charged. It was the wolf's teeth that posed the threat. As small as they were compared to his, he could not allow him get a grip at his throat or it would be the end.

_Smaller fangs, better grip_. Diego recalled Adah's (quite smug) remark. He couldn't believe she was right, but he owed her for it too. He fought the urge to look back at the trap she was in. He had to keep an eye on Rufus, and Tate was already doing a great job in preventing that.

"AHHH!!" Manny and Sid's shouting made Diego's head turn. The mammoth had reared up to avoid a particularly brave (or rather insane) wolf trying to go for his throat. On his back, Sid flailed, causing him to lose his grip. The sloth tumbled down the length of the mammoth's back and crashed on the hard, cold ground.

"Sid! Are you alright?" Manny asked, but had little time to look back as the wolves saw the chance to go for the vulnerable animal. He wasn't going to allow that to happen, so he charged forward swinging his large head, daring the wolves to come at him.

"Way to go, Manny!" Sid cheered, keeping well behind the girth of his large friend.

More growling ensued but Sid realized with a start it did not come from ahead, but from another direction. Not to far from where the sloth stood, the two wolves guarding the hole eyed him. With the mammoth currently preoccupied facing their comrades, they figured Sid would make an easy meal. Rufus was also busy in dodging and snapping at Diego and Tate to notice they were disobeying orders. The two wolves made their way around the trap hole and slowly walked toward Sid.

"Uhh...Manny!" he cried, but it was only drowned out by the howls and barks from the wolves, and the exceptionally loud trumpeting cries from Manny. Sid smiled nervously at the approaching predators and slowly backed away. "Nice doggies..."

They didn't waste time stalking in order to strike fear in their prey. Lunging worked well enough which caused Sid to emit a high-pitched scream and break into a waddle-run in a direction that was not blocked by mammoths, wolves, and tigers. Despite the large cliff area, the chase was short lived as Sid skidded to a halt upon reaching one of the edges. He spun around only to see the very smug looks on the faces of his attackers. Desperately, Sid leaned down, his claw feeling for anything on the ground. Luckily he felt something hard and round: a rock! Not caring how large it was, Sid grabbed it and chucked it at the nearest wolf. The rock aimed true and one wolf yelped in pain, eyes clenched shut, and sent into a panic. His companion barked, but soon yelped as the injured wolf shoved into him. Close enough to the edge as Sid was, he lost his footing and slid off the cliff-side leaving the other wolf half-blind and confused.

"Bull's-eye!" Sid was about to break into victory dance, but the half-blind wolf still had one eye to see from, and he snapped angrily at the sloth. He screamed again, barely dodging, managing to waddle his way past the confused wolf. His eyes darted from left to right looking for another rock. The nearest source of ammo was near the trap hole and Sid darted for them.

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"What's going on up there?" Adah said out loud, even though she knew no one would be able to hear.

Up above she saw the two wolves leaving. If they were gone she could get out and help the others. Deciding to chance it, she gathered herself up and jumped. Her front claws dug into the side wall and with all she could muster, Adah hoisted herself up to peek out of the hole.

She didn't see the wolves, but a fat sloth running straight at her.

"Sid?!"

"Adah! You're okay! Is Cindy down there with you?"

"Last time I checked---Sid look out!"

The sloth managed to turn his neck only to see his attacker barreling down on him. Reflexively, Sid jumped back, but instead of falling down the hole, his foot landed on something soft. He had little time to realize he was stepping on Adah's head, and even the grey saber did not have enough strength to hold up the fat sloth. The dirt her claws were embedded in gave way and both tiger and sloth slid down the hole. The half-blind wolf skidded to a halt before he joined them.

"Phew that was close. Good thing I landed on something soft. Where's Cindy?"

"Errrgh...Sid! Get off me!" Adah growled.

"AHHH OW! Someone help! It hurts where the tiger's biting me!"

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"Ah, Sid! You idiot!" Diego growled, glimpsing his friend's scene.

"At least he got rid of one, who was that anyway?" Tate glanced at Rufus, "Lono? Grey?"

"Will you just keep focused on what's going on here, mutt-face?" Diego snapped again. Tate lowered his ears and growled back.

"We're winning, aren't we kitty-littah?"

"What did I just tell you?!"

"WATCH OUT!"

Tate leaped in front of Diego, suddenly tackled by Rufus who was lunging for the tiger in his distracted state. The two wolves scuffled with one another, and the larger one gained footing, slowly shoving Tate towards the cliff. Diego rushed to help, but Rufus already had Tate over the egde. As he was falling, the smaller wolf bit at Rufus's thick fur. The red wolf could not yank away quick enough, as Tate's momentum dragged him down the cliff-side as well. Diego rushed to the edge only to see them tumbling down the side.

"Mutt-face!!"

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**A/N: **Hello again! D I finally have some time off from college work and I figured it would be a good time to update (besides it has been a while!) I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I'll be updating some time in June. Well, Diego did tell Tate to go jump off a cliff in a previous chapter, didn't he? LOL Oh and the "tiger biting" line is dedicated to my friend bdlywrtten who I trust will get the reference XD X3!

Is anyone out of school yet? It's time for summer and unbearable heat XD Yay for freedom! Everyone enjoy the summer and see you in my next update X3


	27. Chapter 27: Dead End

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: "_Dead End_" 

"Mutt-face!"

Diego paced along the edge of the cliff, panicked. Tate and Rufus continued to tumble down the cliff wall. Tate still had his jaws clenched on Rufus' fur until they finally collided against one of the jutting shelves. The impact sent Tate rolling off to one side, continuing his fall. Thankfully there was another shelf to catch him before he met a more horrible fate. Diego exhaled a small sigh of relief but it was short lived when he saw Rufus stir. The wolf was dazed and stunned, but also angry. He growled, trying to stagger to his feet. They had fallen a long way down but Diego could clearly hear the red wolf's voice ring out through the canyon.

"Tate! You're life is mine!" but the other wolf did not hear his threats as Tate was still unconscious. The saber's muscles tensed. He needed to get down there to intercept Rufus before he made his way to Tate.

_Erg, that mutt-face is such a pain, _he thought. Yet he knew he could not leave Tate on his own. He didn't like him but Diego was not cold-hearted. He glanced back to see how Manny was doing. To his surprise, the wolves' numbers had dwindled quite a bit. Only four of them confronted his mammoth friend and Manny was able to push further inward away from the cliff's edge. It looked like he had control of things but Diego was hesitant in leaving his friend to fend for himself.

"I'll keep an eye on things up here, Diego. You better go help rover down there." The mammoth spoke, keeping the wolves at bay with his large tusks. He always had this talent in reading the saber's mind.

Half smirking, Diego called to him "You sure you don't need any help, Manny?"

"I got it, I got it." he replied with his cynical tone though the tiger could have sworn there was humor. "I'll keep an eye on things up here, Diego. You better go help rover down there."

Diego didn't say anything and quickly jumped down the cliff onto the closest shelf. He felt his limbs weaken as he glanced downwards. The cliff platform was high up, and most of the shelves along side of it were small, barely enough room for one to stand on. Diego kept his eyes on Rufus to keep perspective, only looking around to find another shelf to leap onto.

Rufus also had a hard time making his way down to Tate as he fought to keep his footing and his anger in check. His ears twitched, catching the sound of something scraping on rock. As he looked up, he spotted the tawny color of Diego's coat as he jumped to another shelf. Rufus's eyes narrowed, he needed to finish one of them off now that the two were separated. The red wolf turned and focused his attention on reaching Tate before Diego could reach him.

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Tate's vision was blurred as his eyes fluttered open. Upon moving he immediately felt pain and yelped. With a start, he suddenly remembered what had happened and then realized Rufus was nowhere in sight. Shaking himself off and rising to his feet, he soon heard Diego calling from above. The wolf lifted his head up to see the tiger picking his way from shelf to shelf. His eyes widened when he saw Rufus was much further down than Diego.

"I'll snap your head off like a bud from a stalk!" Rufus snarled.

Tate felt his fur stand on end as he watched the wolf standing on a shelf just across from him. Only a gap separated them now, and the ex-major prepared for the leap. Tate could only gulp, and anticipate his attack. There was no room to fight. Rufus was much larger than he was, and it would be no trouble for him to shove the golden-colored wolf off the edge like he had done before. Even so, Tate stood his ground. Above he could hear Diego's claws scraping against the rock. How long would it be till he reached them? From the smug look on Rufus' face it may be too late.

"You've been nothing but a whimpering nit among the pack." Rufus spat. Tate felt himself shrinking in the presence of the greater wolf. "I would do Tala a favor and end you!"

At the mention of her name Tate suddenly gained a small spark of courage. He picked up his paws and set them down again, suddenly unable to keep still. A rush of power came over him, and he felt strong and dangerous.

"Come and try it den!" he dared, "You respected Tala so much you should know her training was as good as yours, in fact, bettah! And I was taught by her, so don't underestimate me!"

"Indeed, Tate. She has admirable methods, but don't think her regimen can turn a witless wolf-pup into a warrior!" Rufus reply, hiding his surprise well. He growled, hackles rising on end, looking more threatening than before. "We'll see if you can put your bones where your mouth is!"

He sprang from a standing start, without warning, catching Tate off guard. Rufus fell on Tate, his jaw gaping, and his huge fangs glistening, ready to pierce into the flesh of his victim. Their barks and howls were savage, ringing out loudly through the canyon. Diego was almost upon them. He spotted the two figures as they bit and shook each other viciously. Rufus had the upper hand, and followed his previous strategy of trying to push Tate off the small cliff. Tate struggled hard to keep his ground; biting and snapping at the red wolf caused him to back away before he could shove the small wolf over the edge.

"Impressive!" Rufus dodged Tate as he lunged, minding the space behind him. "It's a shame the major cannot see your heroics, short-lived as they may be!"

Rufus lunged this time, his head shoving against Tate's chest knocking the breath out of him. He didn't allow the lieutenant anytime to recover and pressed against him more. Tate's claws scraped along the stony ground but there was nothing to hold onto, and before he knew it Rufus shoved him off the edge. Yelping, Tate fell hard onto the next shelf below, and Rufus leapt down after him. Their new platform was much larger than the last, fanning out into a wide semi-circular shape. Tate winced as he rose to his feet again. One leg ached, no doubt injured from his fall and kept his weight off it. The lieutenant was his now and the red wolf grinned at the thought.

Slowly, he made his way towards Tate. The small wolf only hobbled on three legs, his courage seemed to vanish as he watched Rufus cautiously. However, his expression changed to shock and relief, startling the red wolf. Reflexively he turned in time to see Diego leap onto the platform. The tiger growled, striding up to Rufus, who was now pinned between the saber and Tate.

"You injured my friend over there," Diego said, "but you still have me to deal with."

"It's about time, kitty litta'!" Tate shouted, despite his complaint he smiled still. Diego rolled his eyes.

Rufus ignored Tate, his eyes fixed on Diego. "The lieutenant is not much of a challenge, so don't think with the two of you here means you've won."

The saber's limbs tensed, crouching. "We can fix that!"

Diego pounced, roaring as he did so causing Rufus to take a step back. Despite this, Diego fell upon him, swinging a large forepaw and connecting with the red wolf's jaw. Tate sprang back, avoiding Rufus as his body skidded across the ground. He shook his head and faced Diego and Tate who both stood in front of him now, his back to the edge of the shelf. His head rang from the impact and his jaw stung with pain, but he was not about to give up yet. Without warning, Rufus charged. His target was the tiger who sprang forth to meet him head on. Rufus did not have claws like Diego and did his best to avoid his swings, and as small as his teeth were, their knife-like sharpness managed to score one of Diego's shoulders. Tate stood back, in awe of how the saber did not even seem to feel the pain.

The two predators scuffled and wrestled across the platform, with Tate limping out of the way. He had to hand it to Diego though; that tiger landed a few good hits on Rufus far better than he was able to do. Yet Rufus was clever, it wouldn't take him long to figure out a stratagem against Diego. If one gave him long enough time, Rufus could either make a quick escape or find an opponent's hidden weakness. Diego didn't give him that time to think, however, as he lunged, pivoted, and dodged. Rufus was getting down right annoyed, and he knew that to be a dangerous thing in a fight. One must always keep a level head. He ducked as the saber swung his forepaw while his yellow eyes scanned for another platform to jump to. With his attention diverted, Diego managed to land another hit on Rufus. This time his claws struck the wolf deep in the shoulder. Rufus snarled in pain as the impact left him dazed and tangle-limbed.

He was cornered now, Rufus noted grimly, but with luck on his side he caught sight of a small platform just above him just within his leaping capabilities. He crouched, hearing Tate shout out something to Diego. The saber roared and charged at the ex-major again, but he had missed his target. Rufus made the jump onto the higher platform, giving him time to recover. He panted heavily, watching as Tate joined up with the tiger. Diego growled, looking for another platform to jump on. The shelf Rufus stood on had enough room for one, and even trying to jump would only give the red wolf the advantage to attack first. Rufus knew Diego was aware of the situation, and grinned.

"You're not as stupid as you look saber. By now my wolves should have made quick work of your large friend up above." he spoke.

Diego's ears laid flat against his skull, ignoring what he said. Rufus' arrogance only angered him but he knew he had to keep calm. He half-crouched but Rufus was smart enough to call his bluff. He was right; it would be stupid to jump at him head on, especially when he had the higher ground. The wolf was stalling so he could rest and think up some sort of scheme. Diego didn't care, this little time out gave him time to rest and think as well. What could he do? Any other shelves around them were too high. It seemed Rufus had occupied the one shelf which allowed access to the rest above. It would be pointless to feign an escape down the canyon. He knew Rufus wouldn't follow. The red wolf would simply climb back up, and Diego was not going to let Manny face him alone, even if he was a mammoth.

Behind him, Diego could hear Tate pant, and let out a small whine in frustration. His blue eyes scanned for some other route to get to Rufus while Diego kept his eyes on the red wolf.

_Scratch, scratch._

The tiger's ears caught up on something faint, and soon he glimpsed what caused the noise. Climbing up the wall near the shelf Rufus stood upon was a Scrat. The hapless little rodent struggled up the side, carefully balancing his precious acorn at the length of his nose. Rufus did not seem to pay it any heed due to his heavy panting or he just did not care. Diego began to study the little Scrat as he finally made his way to the edge of the shelf, pulling himself up along with his nut. The saber tooth squirrel panted frantically, his arms clutching tight to his treasure, unaware of the predator that he stood under. Soon Diego felt an idea come to mind, and he whispered to Tate to lend him an ear. Rufus noticed the change in his behavior, and eyed them warily.

"Psst, mutt-face, get over here."

"What is it, kitty-littah?" he limped over, also whispering, "Did'ja come up with a plan?"

"I told you not to--" Diego shook his head and sighed. "Never mind, how's your leg?"

"Aww, you care." the wolf said sarcastically, but he flinched as Diego threatened to backhand him. "Why do you ask?"

"Think you can make the jump from here to there?" he motioned towards Rufus.

"Heeey. I know I'm a little dim, but I'm not DAT stupid."

"But your little buddy wants to say hi."

"What buddy--," Tate broke off once catching sight of Scrat who still rested underneath Rufus. He marched to the end of the platform they stood on and looked at Scrat "YOU!"

"What is he going on about?" Rufus asked, eying Tate.

Below him, Scrat jumped up and saw Tate. He squeaked, recognizing the wolf and pressed his acorn closer to his furry chest. Defiantly, the little mammal retorted back at Tate in his own chattering language. The sounds caught Rufus' attention and he looked down between his legs.

"What on earth is that?"

"Say hello to my little friend!" Tate shouted, (and perhaps adding a little accent for full affect XD) his attention focused solely on the Scrat. The wolf crouched, and in a bound he was on the platform with Rufus, catching him by surprise as well as crowding the small area.

"You idiot, get off!" Rufus snapped.

Tate ignored him. Once his Scrat hunting switch was on, there was no turning it off. He shoved into Rufus fiercely trying to get at the rodent who so desperately dodged from getting stepped on or bit while keeping a hold on his acorn. Rufus snarled and shoved against Tate but with little luck. The smaller wolf dove underneath him, snapping at the Scrat who could only move backwards. Rufus barked and struggled, hoisted up due to the other canine beneath him, trying to get his paws back on the ground to keep his footing. Tate lunged forward, and with the momentum, he sent Rufus off the edge of the shelf's edge. Scrat also dove to avoid the large red wolf from crushing him. The little mammal clung to the side of the shelf's wall but in doing so he lost his grip on his acorn and it fell to the depths below along with Rufus, his howl echoing all the way down. Scrat whimpered, but suddenly squeaked in panic as Tate's jaws snatched him up by the tail. He turned, facing Diego who looked up at him.

"Not bad, mutt-face. Not bad at all." he shook his head. Tate seemed more proud of himself for catching the Scrat more than he was for besting Rufus. Diego moved to look over the edge of the platform he was standing on.

"So long, Rufus." Tate said, his voice muffled by the furry tail in his mouth. The saber looked back up at him and lifted an eyebrow.

"Well, you caught him. So what are you going to do? Eat him?"

"Blech, no way!" Tate spit the Scrat out. The saber-toothed squirrel looked back at him, and then squeaked in glee knowing he was free to get his acorn. He jumped off the ledge and dashed past Diego to find a pathway that led down. Tate and Diego looked at one another and only shrugged.

"We better get back to the top. Manny and Sid are probably waiting for us." Diego stepped forward to the edge of the platform, but looked up at Tate who stood in his way. "Move."

"Oh, right!"

Tate also turned, and hopped with little effort to the next shelf, giving Diego room to jump to the one Tate was on. Because of Tate's limp, their trek upwards was slow, but with Rufus gone, there didn't seem to be any rush.

"Hey, kitty-litta?" Tate began. "Did you mean what you said back there?"

"Mean what?" Diego asked, confused. He hopped onto another shelf while Tate was two shelves above him. The wolf stopped and looked down from where he stood.

"What you said ta Rufus. About me bein' yer friend and all."

"Err..." the tiger paused, just now realizing that he did call Tate his friend.

He didn't know why though, he didn't like Tate, but he wasn't about to let the poor guy fend for himself. It just wasn't his style, even when he was with Soto's pack; his heart always questioned the large saber's cruel methods. Still, pride couldn't allow him to find a proper answer.

"It's...err...uhh habit."

"So you do dis with all da animals you meet?"

"No."

"So I am you're friend den, right?"

"Don't read into it so much," Diego said. "It was a one time thing."

"Okay, kitty-littah, if you say so."

He couldn't see the grin on Tate's face, but Diego could hear it in the wolf's voice. He decided not to press the matter any further and leave it at that. The canine wasn't so bad. Stupid, but hey, so was Sid, and even so the sloth managed to earn a place in his heart as a friend. It was perhaps inevitable until Tate did the same. Besides, it wasn't like Diego would admit it.

He would _never_ admit it.

"Hey, mutt-face, how far is it to the top?"

"I can see the cliff's edge, we're almost there!"

_AROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO_!

They both paused. Diego was trying to figure if that was Tate or if he was simply hearing things. Glancing up to the wolf, his confused expression told him that he was also trying to figure out the same things.

"Uh...mutt-face, do you mind telling me what that was? I'm kind of rusty on my wolf speaking skills."

"Dat's a pack's signal to da others!" he sounded worried, and leapt to another shelf. "It means someone caught dere prey!"

"Manny!? No!"

Diego increased his pace and jumped up the cliff side, already caught up to Tate. The wolves couldn't have taken Manny, it was impossible! The mere thought of it only urged Diego on. He already was ahead of Tate who struggled a bit with the limp in his leg. The tiger stopped and looked back to him.

"Keep going!" he called out. "I'll be right behind ya!"

Diego nodded and bounded up the cliff side from shelf to shelf till he made it to the final shelf before reaching the top. As he was ready to make the jump, something long and fuzzy bumped into his face. He stepped back in surprise and soon realized they were trunks. Two of them!

"Hey, Tiger, what took you?" Manny said as he looked down the edge.

Relief flooded Diego and he smirked, allowing Manfred's trunk to take him by a paw and hoist him up. Ellie reached down to bring Tate up and placed him next to Diego. They both tried to fathom the unexpected, but most welcomed outcome. The remaining wolves had fled, whether if they knew of Rufus' outcome or not. Tate glanced around, noticing everyone was here. The two mammoths had pulled Adah, Cindy, and Sid out of the trap. Sid was by Cindy's side, fanning the unconscious she-sloth. Still scanning, Tate's eyes locked with another pair of blue eyes. The dark she-wolf smiled and Tate, despite his limp, rushed to her like an excited wolf cub.

"Tala!!"

He ran past the others to greet her. Even she ran up to him and they both barked and yipped in glee. Diego and Manny both shook their heads, smiling still. While everyone was still in a commotion, Diego's gaze fell on Adah, who looked sound and unharmed. Her eyes met with his and she smiled warmly, her expression showing gratitude and something else that made Diego's skin grow warm. He stared at her for a while before he felt himself walking towards her.

"Diego!" he was suddenly tackled by Ben. Crash and Eddie laughed openly, sitting safely at the top of their sister's head. Diego shoved the cub off and sat back on his haunches. Ben hopped around excitedly. "See? We found Tala and came here as fast as possible!"

Sid nodded. "It was awesome! Ellie and Tala came charging in to help Manny! BAM! SMACK! They didn't have a chance."

"Yeah! Ben led them the whole way!" Eddie buffed his nails on his fur, "with a little help from the awesome possums, of course."

Diego looked at Ben then to Adah. She smiled, her eyes, fixed on the cub, shone with pride. He couldn't help but smirk over how pleased Ben was with himself, and reached over to give him a noogie on his fuzzy head.

"You did good kid. You did good"

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**A/N: **OMG an update? I've had several complaints about my update schedule but I do have other things that are more important than a fanfic. However, this is a special day (for me at least XD) It has already been a year since I posted this fic up HUZZAH! And I'm still not done with uploading it WTH! XD Oh well. You know I was debating on doing a double chapter post but I only have a few more chapters left so I think you can wait ;)

The little Al Pacino line Tate said was dedicated to ShinCinati and Baltoluver63 X3 Originally I was going to have Diego say it, but I decided to give it to Tate since it seemed more fitting. Again, thank you for all of your reviews! And no matter how long I take with an update, I won't give up or anything like that! I'll probably have the next chapter up by the end of June. My original idea was to at least make a post every two weeks, but with so much stuff going on I hardly get time to revise each chapter.


	28. Chapter 28: Son of the Right Hand

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: "_Son of the Right Hand_"

The danger was gone. Diego and Tate took care of Rufus, and the rest of his pack had been scattered by Manny, Ellie and Tala leaving the herd to celebrate their victory. The large wooly mammoth heaved a sigh of relief, watching as the rest of the group laughed and boasted over today's heroics. Manny only smiled, his body ached from all the bite wounds the wolves inflicted on him. It was nothing serious, and he took comfort in Ellie who stood beside him, her trunk gently brushing over his. Ellie's two brothers scurried around the area, with Ben chasing after them. Tate, encouraged by their actions, howled loudly, declaring their win. Tala smiled and only shook her head. Usually she preferred to keep a professional image, but it was a happy moment and she was quite proud of the wolf sitting beside her.

Sid would have joined in the celebration, but he sat on the ground, cradling Cindy's head with his arms. Adah and Ellie went over to check how she was doing with the others peering in from behind. The female sloth was barely coming out of her unconscious state, sending Sid into a tizzy.

"Cindy! Cindy speak to me!" he cried. Adah placed a paw on his claw, urging him to calm down.

"Uhh...Sidney?" she managed. Her eyelids were half shut and all she saw were blurs all around her. Cindy blinked, and then squinted her eyes until the shapes became more focused. Realizing they were her friends she sat up with a jolt, startling the others. "I had the most amazing dream!"

"Cindy?" Sid said again, puzzled.

"You, you, you, and you..." she pointed to each animal, and then looked at Sid, "And you were there!"

Ellie chuckled. "She'll be fine. I'll carry her on my back, what do you say, Sid?"

"Okay, thanks Ellie!" Sid helped Cindy get to her feet and Ellie gently picked up the still-confused sloth, placing her on her back. She knelt down slightly to allow Sid to climb on and ride with Cindy incase she passed out and fell off.

Manny took Ellie's action as a cue to lead the herd out of the canyon. It had been a long day, and the sun was already hanging low in the sky. He didn't want to be in this place any longer than necessary and he was sure the other's felt the same. He started to walk off and the rest began to follow, but then Tate and Tala rushed ahead of him.

"Excuse me, Manfred." Tala said politely. (A trait which always seemed to shock him) "It was just as dangerous going in as it is heading out. Tate and I can lead you out safely, if you'll trust us."

There was a pause. For the past several days, Manny had shown his disdain for these wolves, but they obviously proven their worth. He saw Diego walking up beside the mammoth, looking up to him and giving him a nod. It seemed like it was not only Manny who had a change of heart. Manny's small smile was hidden behind his large trunk, but Tala could see it in his eyes. The she-wolf returned the smile as the mammoth nodded.

"Lead the way, missy." he said.

"Let's go Tate."

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The canyon walls were wide, but with herd huddled close together it seemed crowded all of a sudden. Tate and Tala set the pace. Tate was in the lead sniffing for ice traps and once he gave the OK, Tala nodded to Manny to follow. Behind the mammoth, Ellie crowded behind him. She made sure to walk extra slow to make sure Sid and Cindy had a comfortable ride. Eddie and Crash sat atop their sister's hair, watching Cindy with concern. Behind them Adah nudged Ben forward who moved with care, even though the wolves gave their signal. If he were any smaller, the saber would have grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and carried him herself. Adah gave up trying to urge him on and went ahead; soon Ben was walking beside Diego who looked at him teasingly.

"What?"

"You're not gonna fall, kid. Just relax."

"I can't help it."

"Cub's reflex, that's all." he said, "You'll grow out of it."

Ben said nothing and watched as Diego left his side to join Adah. She looked over, almost thinking it was Ben only to see the other saber. He didn't say anything to her and they walked on in silence until Adah noticed the teeth marks on his shoulder.

"Does it hurt?" she asked.

"Huh? What?" He saw her motioning to his shoulder with her head. "Oh, that. No, I'm good."

"You sure?"

He smirked slightly. "Is someone worried about me?"

"Maybe." she almost huffed, growing agitated that he made her feel this way, but her expression remained soft. "Thank you, Diego."

He kept silent for a moment before replying, unsure if it was the right one. "Anytime, Adah."

She smiled in response, and picked up her pace to join up with Ellie.

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"How are you two doing up there?" Ellie asked, glancing over her shoulder. Tate's ear twitched and he looked back to the shemmoth.

"We're doing good!" he answered. Manny rolled his eyes.

"She was talking to the sloths." Tala corrected, moving ahead of him leaving the golden-colored wolf embarrassed. Ellie giggled smiled at him.

"Everything is okay up here!" Sid answered, "Cindy is still a little out of it."

"A little?" Crash added, "She keeps breaking into song and passing out again!"

Eddie chuckled this time. "The last song was pretty cool. I hope she does it again!" he looked to Sid, "You two are so made for each other!"

"You two leave her alone!" Ellie reached for them with her trunk, but her two possum brothers narrowly escaped. She felt them slide down her tail and knew they went to join Ben in the back. "Boys."

"You know this whole thing is only going to increase their egos." Manny said.

"Oh, don't I know it!" she laughed. "It's going to be a reoccurring camp story for years to come."

"Joy." Manny replied with his usual sarcastic tone. Ellie chuckled some more and she side-stepped, getting close enough to him to nuzzle against him causing the other mammoth to turn red under the fur.

"That was so brave, Manny." she said softly. "You really are something else."

"Yeah, yeah I've heard it before: I'm just dumb." he raised an eyebrow. His tone was playful, but Ellie slightly frowned.

"Hey, I took back the thing I said about bravery being dumb. I mean you rescued me from that cave, and then you take on an entire pack of wolves!" the shemmoth smiled and her trunk wrapped around his. "Brave, crazy, dumb or maybe all of the above; your friends are lucky to know you, and so am I."

"Yeah well," he shrugged, trying not to let her praise get to his head. "We're a herd, we're pals, and I'd do anything for you Ellie."

"Really?" Her eyes lit up, touched by his words. "Anything?"

"I log-rolled for you, didn't I?" He replied. Manny sounded so surprised by her response Ellie couldn't help but laugh. However Sid overheard Manny and joined in.

"You log rolled? Ellie, he log rolled?" Sid grinned and the mammoth could already feel a headache coming on. "See I told you, you could do it!"

"Just because I did it once doesn't mean I'm willing to do it again, Sid."

"Sure, buddy. You also said I couldn't get a dog but now we got Tala and Tater, don't we?"

"Oy." Manny was tempted to smack the sloth upside his head but that only meant pulling away from Ellie's trunk. He looked over at her and she was still smiling and giggling and he couldn't help but smile in return.

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Tate more or less heard their conversation, but out of courtesy he didn't look back and join in. Instead he trotted up beside Tala, flashing off the most charming grin he could muster. She only looked at him curiously.

"What?"

"What is it about epic battles dat bring out da romance in animals?" he asked.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about, Lieutenant."

"Aw, didn't you find me da least bit dashing, Tala?" he tried to keep the whine out of his voice. His Major only shook her head.

"I wasn't there to witness your grand moment against Rufus, Tate." she said apologetically. "You can be sure to tell me once we get out of this place."

Tala loped ahead of him to continue tracking for ice traps while Tate only huffed. "Nuts, I dought I had her dere for a second. Oh well, all's fair in love and war! I just hope I win in da love part."

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"Yech." Crash blanched. He and his brother lounged on Ben's back, not minding his incredibly slow pace. In fact, they enjoyed it; it only meant getting further from the on-going mush fest that was ahead of them.

"Even though Tater and his gal-pal are cool, I hope we never see another wolf ever again!" Eddie declared.

"I second that!" Crash added. He sat up and patted Ben on his shoulder, "Hey Ben you doing okay down there?"

"Yeah." he said quietly. His eyes were fixated on the ice ground beneath his paws, checking for any hollow traps. Eddie also sat up and punched Ben in his shoulder even though the cub was too large for him to feel it.

"Hey, chill out Ben!" they paused to snicker at their little pun, "The way is clear, I don't know why you're being such a scaredy cat."

"Yeah, after that charge we led in you should be at the front strutting your stuff."

"After that last incident in the canyon, I'd rather be safe then sorry." Ben said, carefully placing a paw down on the ice.

"A wise sentiment." Spoke a hollow-sounding voice.

Ben jumped, and wheeled, turning to face the source. There, within a darker pathway in the canyon walls, Rufus stood. The shadows hid him, but his yellow eyes seemed to glow. He stared at the cub with fury and loathing. Before him, Ben and the possums recoiled.

"Its him." one of the possums managed to breathe.

All of them froze with shock, unable to call for help. Rufus emerged from the dark hollow in the canyon wall. In what light there was, it was clear that Rufus was heavily injured. He drew nearer, limping half a dozen paces causing the others to take another step back.

"My wolves may be gone, and I may be injured, but I have strength enough to finish you, little cub." again he advanced, his teeth bared. Ben kept backing away till he was cornered against a wall, behind him he could hear Crash and Eddie inhale sharply. "What a shame, son of Hagar. Were the circumstances different, I would have told you the whereabouts of your father."

Ben's expression lit up, and Rufus saw it. He kept his head down to hide his smirk. The cub was distracted enough for Rufus to draw nearer to strike. The wolf was injured, but a creature of his caliber was still able to take one as small as Ben.

"My…my pack?" the cub stammered. Rufus stopped momentarily, eyeing Ben who seemed to be in a daze. His thoughts were completely elsewhere now, and the wolf encouraged it, advancing closer.

"Yes, your pack. I know their exact location."

"Don't listen to him, Ben!" Eddie cried, grabbing at the cub's hackles. Crash joined his brother and hopped up and down on his back. "He's just trying to distract you to get closer!"

Rufus only snarled, snapping his teeth to silence them. The two possums flinched and huddled together, shivering even more. Ben blinked, coming back to his senses and stared at Rufus with fear and anger. He was afraid, not for his own life, but for the lives of his two friends. Even if he were the target, out of sheer cruelty, Rufus' fangs would fall on the two possums as well. The thought made his eyes burn, and as Rufus approached, Ben felt his ears flatten against his skull.

Rufus noted the cub's sudden change in attitude and he chuckled. "Intend to fight? Nonsense!"

"No, Ben! Don't do anything crazy!" Crash pleaded. "We like you alive!"

"You won't be for long!" Rufus crouched, ready to pounce. The two possums clenched their eyes shut, ready for the worst. Ben stared the red wolf down, unable to back down, not wanting to back down. He felt his heart hammering madly, and something strange roiling up within his chest. Without even thinking about it, the cub felt himself releasing it.

Ben roared.

The red wolf jumped back, instinctively and startled. Crash's and Eddie's eyes shot open with their mouths gaping. Ben bared his teeth, showing off his sabers which, even for a cub, were larger than Rufus'. Ben felt that strange feeling in his chest returning, and managed to let out another roar causing the wolf to back down. Rufus almost stumbled, shock registered all over his face, and not taking notice where he was stepping. A cracking sound brought him back to his senses, and beneath him the red wolf had stumbled onto a thin patch of ice. Before he could move to escape, the ground gave way and Rufus plummeted into its depths. The sound of the impact caused the trio to flinch, and Ben only shuddered, for he already knew what became of the red wolf.

"That was so awesome!" the possums cried, bringing Ben back to attention. "Where did you learn _that?_"

"I-I don't know," Ben said modestly, half chuckling, and embarrassed by their praises. He shook it off, realizing now the others must be wondering where they were. "C'mon, let's get out of here!"

"You don't have to tell us twice. Hi-ho tiger, away!" Crash pointed forward dramatically. Ben obliged, feeling a sudden rush of power he bolted through the canyon.

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The trio had caught up to the herd just as they were exiting the canyon's mouth. Diego trailed behind, waiting for the three to catch up. Ben pitched to a halt before the larger tiger, and Diego only looked at him puzzled.

"Kid, this really isn't the time to be playing games." he said.

"Yeah, but it was so totally awesome!" Crash began. Diego ignored him and walked off.

"Yeah, yeah. Tell us after your sister smacks some sense into you two." he replied.

Ben could hear the two possums gulping. He smiled sympathetically and followed after the other saber. He would have to show Diego what he had just learned, and perhaps mention what happened to Rufus. That would probably be for the best.

"Where are the others?" Ben asked.

"Just past these trees, kid."

_AROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!_

Ben stopped, almost crashing into Diego. Didn't they just get over with this? Without warning Diego sprang, running to catch up with the rest of the herd. The two possums yelped, jerked back as Ben ran after him. They weaved through the trees, finally spotting the group who stood in a small clearing. Diego made his way past the others and up to Manny, and the two wolves. The saber noticed they all looked shocked and confused. When Ben came up beside Diego he noticed that the older saber now wore the same expression as the others.

"What's up with them?" Eddie asked. Crash grabbed his head and jerked it back forward. As soon as he did this, Eddie's mouth dropped.

Ahead of them was a pack of wolves. All of them howled in unison at the sight of the herd. Before any of the herd members could react, an even greater surprise came forward.

"Sidney!!"

Rose broke through the crowd of wolves, waddling as fast as she could. Yet with her bad eyesight, she hugged Tate instead. The canine yelped in surprise as the sloth sobbed all over his fur. Sid snapped out of his shocked state and slid off Ellie's back, rushing to meet his mother.

"Ma!!" he shouted. "What are you doing here?!"

"We brought help, Sidney!" Rose still clung onto Tate who was looking more embarrassed by the second. Sid gently pried her off Tate and she clung onto her actual son. "It's just like Lavender said; they were in the fissure of the glacier!"

"Who?" Sid scratched his head.

Hooting within the pack of wolves caught his attention, and he spotted mini-sloths! Among the group Sid even spotted Uncle Fungus and Bernie. The pack of wolves didn't seem to mind the company they kept with the mini-sloths, nor did they advance upon the herd before them. In fact they looked quite reserved and calm. Most of them panted, with their pink tongues lolling out of their mouths.

"Miakoda!" Tate exclaimed suddenly, bringing Tala back to her senses. "Tala it's dem! Dey found us!"

These weren't hostile wolves at all; they were Tate and Tala's pack!

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**A/N**: Yay and update! I was going to plan this for tomorrow but I figured why not now! It's almost the end of June and I promised another update around that time, right? ) Things have been busy with me so I'm happy I could get this up. College is killing my schedule AHH XD So I hope you can wait till July for my next update (Transformers comes out soon WEE!!) If you're curious about the title of this chapter, it basically pertains to Ben. Benjamin is supposed to mean "Son of the Right Hand" Our wittle Ben is growing up! (::shoots self:: ahaha)

Once again, thank you so much for all of your reviews and just stopping by to read this D I hope everyone is enjoying their summer. If any of you are on or going on a vacations, have a fun and safe one! (And if you are away, how can you read my well wishes? XD X3)

Take care and have a great weekend!


	29. Chapter 29: Where the Heart is

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE: "_Where the Heart is_"

"Miakoda!" in a bound, Tate joined up with his fellow pack mates. It took a little longer for Tala to register all this in her mind, before figuring out this was not an illusion.

"You're all here!" she found herself exclaiming as she joined with Tate.

The other wolves shared in their happiness, giving out yips of glee with the occasional barks. There was one wolf which kept calm amongst the crowd of happy canines. Soon the pack calmed down, and took a space back to let the quiet one move forward. As this wolf approached Tate and Tala both of them lowered their heads in respect to their leader.

"Miakoda."

"Well met." she praised, nodding. They both raised their heads to look at her. "You don't know how happy I am to see you two again, Major Tala, Lieutenant Tate. We feared you were lost forever."

"Ah it was thanks to Tala dat we managed ta last dis long. You wouldn't believe da stuff dat happened ta us--oomf!" Tate was cut off due to Tala elbowing him in the ribs. Miakoda titled her head, curious to what he had to say.

"Oh? Share with us your journey." And then with a lower voice she spoke. "And tell us of this...group which stands behind you. These mini-sloths were vague with many of the details. All we knew was you were to be found here."

Tala nodded. "Very well." the others gathered in closely, even the mini-sloths did so as if they were part of the pack. "It all began when..."

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The herd kept silent in the back, listening to Tala recount their tale on how they ran into the group. As the wolves and mini-sloths listened intently, Uncle Fungus managed to slip out with Bernie to join the others. He huffed, looking as grouchy as ever.

"The fun never stops around here, does it?"

"I blame, Sid." Manny said. The sloth only grinned, not minding taking the blame. His attention was focused on Cindy who was slowly recovering. Rose kept a vigilant eye on her, and soon Bernie waddled up to join her.

"What happened to Cindy, Sid?" he asked.

"She fell down." came his short answer, not wanting to frighten or worry his little brother. "She'll be okay though."

"Bernie?" Cindy spoke, causing the sloths to jump. Rose and Bernie drew in closer as Cindy opened her eyes. "I feel dizzy."

"Cindy!" Sid exclaimed, almost on the verge of sobbing from sheer happiness. He took her in a hug, squeezing her tight. Bernie hopped up and down, wanting his own hug.

"Ah Sidney!" she giggled, returning the hug, and then feeling Bernie gently tugging at her fur. "Bernie! Rose! Uncle Fungus!"

Rose and Bernie hugged her in reply. Sid stepped back alongside his uncle, smiling and watching them. Even the crotchety old sloth let in the barest hint of a smile. As soon as Bernie drew away he spotted Ben, Crash and Eddie and waddled to them.

"Ben! Eddie! Crash!" he cried out.

"Bernie!" they shouted.

Ben tackled the sloth, greeting him with cub's licks. The small sloth laughed, and even more so as the two possums climbed all over him, tickling his sides as they scurried about. Ellie couldn't help but join in the mirth, and giggled and greeted Cindy with a hug from her trunk. Cindy clung to Ellie's trunk and slid down in order to give the female saber one. Adah looked hesitant, not used to any sort of contact unless it was Ben, but she allowed it nonetheless, and even placed a paw on Cindy's back to return the gesture.

"This is turning into quite the reunion." Diego said.

Manny nodded, glancing over to the wolves. It seemed Tala was about finished with her story as he overheard her talking about Rufus and his plan. Even with so many predators present, the mammoth did not feel the least bit alarmed. Perhaps it was due to the number of sloths present, which nearly doubled the size of the herd. Soon the mini-sloths made their way to the group while the dire pack was still listening to Tala. Upon seeing Sid and Cindy, Lavender threw herself to the ground, and the others followed suite.

"Fire-queen is safe!" she spoke, still bowing. Manny and Diego stared at Sid who only shrugged and grinned stupidly. "We are glad Fire-king make noble rescue! Matriarch Rose told us to find pack of doggies."

"Yes, and you all did very well!" Sid nodded, talking as if he were addressing children. "Give yourselves a pat on the back!"

The mini sloths hopped to their feet and did so while chanting. Bernie chuckled, and Uncle Fungus grumbled.

"I'll never get used to this."

"Its okay, Uncle Fungus, now that all the trouble is over, you can join back with us!" Sid chimed. Cindy nodded eagerly, missing her sloth family. Rose and Uncle Fungus stayed silent. The dark-green sloth looked to the reddish-colored one and she reluctantly stepped up.

"We won't be joining you this time." Rose said sadly. Her announcement not only caught the attention of her son and Cindy, but the rest of the herd.

"What? Why?" Ellie asked.

"The mini-sloths have made us feel so welcomed in their home; we've decided to make it ours as well." Rose noted their sad expressions, "Ohh please, it's not that we don't like you. I love every one of you dearly. Its just I am an old sloth, and this much traveling is not for me."

"We understand." Manny said quietly, almost surprised how sad he sounded. Even Diego lowered his head. Uncle Fungus tried to keep the mood up and he tossed his arms in the air.

"Stop blubbering you twits!" he cried causing the mammoth and tiger to frown. "Sid would drag you all across the continent in order to visit us. Really, sometimes I wish he wouldn't bother."

"Fungus!" Rose scolded.

"What if there wasn't the need." Diego said, throwing the others off guard.

"What?" the question caught Sid's attention and he waddled up to his two buddies. "What do you mean by that, guys?"

"We've been thinking, Sid." Diego paused. Again, he wasn't good with the touchy-feely junk and he looked to Manny for backup. The mammoth sighed heavily and looked down at the sloth.

"Diego and I have been talking about you, Sid. Since you found your family and all, not to mention your thing with Cindy..." he paused. Saying this was actually harder than he imagined. "We thought it would be best if you went back with your family. I mean, c'mon, you want to spend the rest of your life with us badgering you all the time?"

Sid's eyes welled up. "You mean you guys are kicking me out?"

"No!" Diego stopped himself, and answered more calmly, clearing his throat. "Uh...no. It was just a suggestion. Whatever you decide, buddy. You made this herd, after all."

Sid felt deja vu all over again, remembering what he asked his mother back at the mini-sloth village. So they did wonder about it just as he had. Now it finally came to this; the actual decision making. Why?! He sucked when it came to making decisions, why did they have to be sincere now? They were such wonderful friends; it only made the tears well up more in his eyes. What if they wanted him to go? What if they were secretly hoping Sid would leave with his family so they can get on with their own lives. Argh! Again with the vicious cycle! Just when he felt like his mind was going to explode he felt a claw on his shoulder. Sid looked back to see Rose looking at him, her smile was gentle and it showed a firm resolve.

"Sidney, remember what we talked about." her claw moved from his shoulder to his chest. "About what is felt in here?"

All the questions and confusion vanished from his mind, and for once Sid was entirely sure what he wanted in his life. He hugged his mother before turning to face his two friends. Everyone was silent, waiting for an answer from the diminutive green sloth.

"I want to stay with my family." he said. Manny and Diego, as much as they knew to respect Sid's decision, felt their frames droop. "I want to stay with you guys."

"YAY! The sloth stays!"

The possums cried in unison, followed by a happy trumpet from Ellie. All of them seemed to be holding in their breath before Sid came to his conclusion. The others laughed; even his mother and brother did not seem saddened by his choice. The only two who remained silent were Manny and Diego.

"Uhh, guys?" Sid waved a claw in front of them. "You really don't want me to stay?"

The two finally snapped out of it, taking in what Sid said previously. Manny reached out and tapped the sloth's head with his trunk. "Of course we want you to stay. Who's going to annoy us every single day and night?"

Before Sid could retort he was suddenly pulled in by Diego who gave him a noogie. "Yeah, and without your fire we'd freeze to death."

Sid yanked away, rubbing the top of his head while grinning at the two. "Yeah, you guys would be lost without me."

"Glad you're staying knuckle head." Diego grinned. Sid looked at them, and sniffled. "What?"

"I don't know about you but I feel a hug coming on!"

"Sid. No. No...No...NO. Augh, Sid!"

Diego grumbled as the sloth waddled over, wrapping one arm around the saber's neck and yanking Manny's trunk close to him with his other. The two heavyweights sighed and gave Sid his sentimental moment as the rest of the group watched and awe-d. The tender moment was broken when Tate and Tala returned to meet with the herd. Everyone turned to face them, even the mini-sloths.

"I guess this is goodbye." Tala said quietly.

"You're leaving already?" Ben asked. Tate nodded sadly.

"Yeah. We're with da pack now, so it's time to head on out and find new territory."

"We'll get to see you again, right?" Ellie asked this time.

"I hope so." Tala replied, "In these short days we spent with you, I've learned you do not have to be alike to share what our pack shares."

"Thanks for not eating us." Bernie added, reaching up to Rose to be held.

"Yeah." Manny added," and thanks for helping us back there."

"Yeah, couldn't have done it without ya, mutt-face." Diego said.

"Don't mention it kitty-littah." Tate smirked, "You're not bad for a tiger. You'd make a pretty decent wolf!"

"Too bad I can't say the same for you. If you were a saber, you'd still be an idiot." he replied, smirking as the wolf bristled.

"Ey!!"

"Does this mean we're off your menu? Both sides are cool with each other now, right?" Crash joined in. Tala nodded, smiling gently.

"In fact, our leader, Miakoda wanted to thank you personally."

As if on cue, the alpha female stepped up behind Tate and Tala who both moved aside to give her room. The herd looked at her and nodded, and she did the same. For a female she was enormous, perhaps rivaling in size with Rufus, and no doubt in ferocity as well. Yet for now, she showed a gentle and wise side as seen in good leaders. And even though most of the herd had been afraid and wary of wolves, they automatically gave Miakoda the same respect her pack-mates gave her.

"Tala and Tate have spoken highly of you all, and I thank you for keeping them in your company, and only hope they are remembered by you and thought of as comrades. We will be sure to do the same, and honor the herd that is not like any other."

She looked at every single one of them, before her eyes fell on Ben. The cub grew shy, keeping near Adah's side.

"Son of Hagar, I apologize for what has befallen you, and only hope you can forgive me. I foolishly assumed Rufus would leave the territory. I did not expect him to harass you or your friends. When you meet your father, please tell him the West Dire Pack relinquishes their hunting grounds as a peace offering."

"Yes ma'am." was the only thing Ben could manage to say, but it seemed to satisfy the alpha female.

"Very well. Our gratitude knows no bounds for your herd, and should you need anything from me or my pack, we are happy to be of service." Miakoda bowed her head low to the ground, and then drew back, leaving. Tate and Tala were about to follow, but stopped to look back one last time at their friends.

"Goodbye." Tala said.

"See you guys later." Tate smiled.

Miakoda let out a long howl, and the others in the pack joined including Tate and Tala. Then, as if they were all of one mind and body, the pack ran, moving swiftly through the trees and vanishing just as quickly. The howl still rang in the air, leaving the herd in a stunned silence.

"I can't believe I'm going to say this." Uncle Fungus spoke, breaking the silence. "But I'm actually going to miss that dumb mutt."

"I like them." Cindy smiled, "Especially Tala. Maybe we can talk with her more."

She looked at Ellie and Adah questioningly. Ellie nodded, enjoying the thought. "Yeah, it's nice to be around other females. No offense guys."

"None taken." Manny shrugged with a smile. He took note of how late the day had become. The sun was already setting, its pink-golden colors staining the sky and the sun curtains within the forest growing dimmer and dimmer. "I think it's time we head out and find a place for the night. I'm beat."

"We should do the same." Rose said. Sid waddled to her and threw his arms around his mother's neck and shoulders. She hugged him back and smiled sadly as he sobbed. "There, there Sidney. We'll still see each other."

"Yeah, we can stay in the area." Ellie tried to reassure the sloth.

"That's right! We can now, now that we know this place has plenty water sources." Cindy went up to hug Rose. Sid took a step back to let them, and then Bernie came up behind her for a hug as well. Uncle Fungus patted her on the shoulder and motioned to Sid.

"Keep an eye on him. Make sure he doesn't hurt himself."

Cindy giggled and nodded. Sid only grinned by was then tackled by his little brother. "Sid!" he cried. "I don't want to go! Can't I stay with you guys?"

"Hey, Bernie, you have to take care of mom." he ruffled the tuft of hair on his head. "Besides, someone's gotta be the new Fire-king now that I'll be leaving."

"Really?" the little sloth's expression lit up. "You really think I could be Fire-king?"

"No doubt about it!" Bernie hugged his brother one last time before waddling back to the others. Rose smiled, watching Cindy join back beside Sid and the herd.

"I'm so proud of you, Sidney." she said.

Uncle Fungus agreed. "For the first time I agree with your mother when it comes to you, Sid. See you later."

"By Sid! By Cindy!" Bernie waved, and then he waved to the others. Eddie and Crash sniffled, waving back while Ben waved with one paw. Sid's family waddled off, led by the mini-sloths, and just like Tate and Tala, they were soon gone.

"I'm gonna miss 'em!" Crash said between sniffles.

"Who knew your family was so nice, Sid." Diego said, "Crazy, but nice."

Manny sighed, trying not to let the sad events of parting with friends overwhelm him. He noticed it was already settling over the rest of the herd. "It's okay; they said we'll get to see them again. Knowing them, it's going to be tomorrow."

That lifted the mood, and he saw it in their expressions. Manny couldn't help but share in their sentiments. How much he had changed, he noted to himself. Back when the moody mammoth couldn't stand the company of others, now he had his own herd—a quirky one—but he concluded he couldn't be any happier.

"Let's go find a place to rest." he said again, this time heading off into the forest.

Diego, Sid, Ellie and the other's followed after him, taking their usual order. Adah kept in the back like always, but suddenly realized something was amiss. After seeing the two possums scurry past her, the third troublemaker was not with them. Glancing back, she spotted Ben still sitting.

"Ben?" she came walking back to him.

"Adah?" he spoke, "about what Miss Miakoda said. Do you think we'll really get to see our own pack again?"

"I don't know, Ben." she licked the side of his face to cheer him up. Soon a third voice from behind surprised them both.

"Don't worry kid." said Diego. "You still got us."

The cub was silent for a moment but then he smiled. His words lightened Ben's mood and he bounded off to join Crash and Eddie. Adah looked at Diego before showing her own smile. She walked past him, and Diego only smirked, following after her, and the herd.

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**A/N:** Awww mush fest! Hey its 7-7-07 LUCKY SEVEN! I hope everyone had a happy 4th of July (at least to those who celebrate it, and still to others, a happy week!)

Hm, I really don't have anything special to say about this chapter. Sad partings, yes ( And we're almost near the end! Thanks to everyone for sticking with me for so long! Have a great weekend everyone, and I'll see you in the next update!


	30. Chapter 30: The One I Love

**A/N: **Hi everybody! It's been a few weeks since the last update, and I thank you for your patience! College has been kicking my butt but I finally got some time to revise this chapter.

We're almost at the home stretch! When I wrote these final chapters last year I made them mostly to spoil ME XD Yes, everyone has been asking for Manny and Ellie, and Diego and Adah (No Sid and Cindy? Awww ::hugs them:: )

I had to refrain from changing my fic into some kind of mush fest to please everyone. I planned out these chapters, there is no randomness here! With the story finally wrapping up I got to indulge in Diego and Adah's relationship a bit more. I hope you enjoy it too!

The title is based on the song with the same name "The One I Love" by David Gray.

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CHAPTER THIRTY: "_The One I Love_"

A few weeks passed since the incident with Rufus and his pack, and more than a month since the Meltdown ended. Things were finally settling down for the herd as they finally got accustomed to their new home, the Crescent Forest, and their new members. As promised, Sid's family visited them as often as they could, not only to Sid's delight, but to everyone else as well. In Sid's absence, Rose took on the role as leader; the mini-sloths dubbed her the Matriarch with Bernie as future heir as the next Fire-King. They haven't heard from their lupine companions, but Rose said she spoke with them as they headed back south, most likely to find new territory.

The main three founders of the group would have never figured their herd to grow so large. Even after the arrival of Ellie and her brothers they assumed it would be the full extent of their oddball herd, but once passing the glacier walls blocking their valley, their numbers grew. Most of it was due to circumstance, which ironically, was caused by Rufus. Ben and Adah were separated from their pack due to him, and Sid's family sought the protection from his wolves by keeping with the group. It had been an unwelcome situation, but only at first. Soon, all three could not deny they grew used to the presence of all the members.

Manny had been the first to admit it before they even left the valley. He and Ellie decided to stay together out of love, and not a simple duty to preserve the species; a species that was clearly not on the verge of extinction. He was still his old cynical, sarcastic-self, but the chip on his shoulder vanished. The mammoth finally let go of the guilt he bore for so long, and began to enjoy the present time with Ellie. He owed her his thanks too, for Ellie helped him open up to the idea of new herd members. The shemmoth was unnaturally friendly to the strangers they met on their trek, and in a way it made him comfortable knowing she was okay with the idea of being in the company of other animals besides mammoths. Ellie got along well with everyone in the herd, but she was particularly fond of spending time with the other females. She had an incredible knack in keeping her brothers and Ben under control when they were left in her care. They practically gave her the job which she took all too happily. Manny found that attractive seeing how motherhood seemed to suit Ellie just fine. The thought of it made him turn red under the fur.

Manny was not the only one with a female companion now. Sid had found his soul mate in Cindy who was Sid's opposite in many things he lacked (thankfully). The female sloth doted on Sid constantly and it drew most of his attention away from doing things such as teasing Diego or Manny. When she wasn't around Sid, Cindy was usually with Ellie and Adah. Ellie and Cindy made a great pair when foraging. Ellie could get her the hard-to-reach greens while Cindy could fit into places Ellie couldn't. Even though Adah did not share the same diet as the sloth or mammoth, Cindy invited her to come along anyway. It also turned out Cindy was a clean-freak which didn't bother the herd one bit (cept maybe the possums). It appeared Sid would be getting that lesson in hygiene soon enough much to the relief of Manny and Diego. Sid also taught her how to make a fire, which officially earned her the title "Fire-Queen", but the new deity was happy in being the resident clean-freak and sweetheart to her "king".

With their sister spending so much time with Manny, Ben had become Crash and Eddie's savior from boredom, and the visits from Bernie were greatly welcomed. The three young animals would wander off and cause all sorts of trouble giving their elders constant headaches. Crash and Eddie were currently working on teaching the cub to climb trees and roll in the mud. Being a feline, tree-climbing soon came natural to him, but hanging down from one was an impossible task due to his short tail. He also had no problems in getting dirty and rolled in the mud constantly. It had earned him many lectures from Adah, but she was thankful he was smart enough not to roll in dung heaps the possums were notorious for.

And then there was Diego who was considered the heavy of the group. Even he had a soft spot for each member. He never openly displayed it, but he did have his subtle moments. The tiger had always been content in the company of his herd, but with the addition of two other sabers it appeared to have lifted his spirits considerably. With Ben, Diego found himself teaching the young cub aspects of his own nature he could never discuss with Manny or Sid. Yet Diego was still bothered, and he found out it only happened when he was in Adah's company. It was these times which led Diego to believe he felt something for her. When he first met her, his feelings gave way to impulse and instinct, but slowly it grew into something genuine — something sincere. He always ignored it but now it weighed on his mind heavily and he was not used to it. Diego never thought he would have to deal with this sort of thing. The tiger couldn't find the words or action to convey it, and like always, he kept up his tough-guy front and said nothing.

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The sun was rising over the crescent glacier formation giving enough light to stir the sleeping animals below. Within the conifers, the herd was already awake and getting ready to find breakfast. Diego and Manny waited on Sid before they all headed their separate ways for the morning. Sid yawned loudly, scratching one side as he waddled up to the mammoth and tiger.

"Mornin' fellas!" he greeted in mid-yawn. Diego's nose rankled, catching a whiff of Sid's breath even at a distance.

"Morning, Sid." Manny lightly waved with his trunk. "You woke up before noon, that's a new record."

"Yeah I promised Cindy we'd go find more dandelions." the sloth yawned again.

"I think you might pass out before you get the chance." Diego said, grinning a little. "So how long should we expect this breakfast date to last?"

Manny tensed some, despite how long he had been with Ellie; the mammoth could still get defensive. "It's not a date; we're just sharing breakfast, plain and simple."

Diego and Sid were not convinced and the sloth voiced his thoughts. "Aw, you know deep down you think it's a date."

"Not when Crash and Eddie are always looking over our shoulders." the mammoth huffed, "And I mean that literally."

"What do you expect, Manfred? The way you hog Ellie from them, its only natural they would like to spend some time with their sister." Diego added in his sarcastic tone.

Again the mammoth bristled. "I do not hog her!"

"Sidney!" spoke another voice causing the three to turn. Cindy waved to him and the others. Ellie was standing beside her, with her two brothers relaxing on her tusks. "Ready?"

"You bet!" Sid smiled, all of his morning fatigue suddenly gone. Ellie and the possums greeted him, and then the shemmoth looked up to Manny.

"C'mon, Manny, let's eat! I'm starved!" she called.

"Yeah, I'm coming." was his reply. Manny turned to look at Diego before joining the others.

The tiger grinned "Enjoy your date."

Manny sighed, deciding it was best not to fight it as he learned some time ago. Behind Diego, Manny caught a glimpse of Adah and Ben, both waiting for the saber by the edge of the clearing. The cub fidgeted, anxious to start the day.

"Diego!" he called. The saber looked back and nodded and Ben ran into the woods, leaving Adah behind who waited more patiently than the cub. Diego looked away to face the mammoth and couldn't help but notice the small smile hiding underneath his trunk.

"She's waiting for you, buddy." he said before leaving to join Ellie and the others. Diego frowned a bit; he couldn't help but feel that simple statement had more meaning behind it. Sighing, he shrugged it off and left to join Adah who was already leading the way.

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"That's round three, and I win again kid!" Diego pitched to a halt and turned to look back. Behind him, Ben caught up, catching his breath. Adah followed them both at a leisurely pace while watching Ben's vain attempts to best Diego.

"I'll beat you someday," panted Ben.

"You wish." The older tiger taunted. "Wait for a few more seasons, and then you _might_ have a chance."

Adah came up behind Ben and nipped him on the shoulder. With a smile he bounded off, in hope of finding something easier to track down. The grey saber smiled, watching him. Ben had grown over the past few weeks at an alarming rate. He was finally larger than Adah, passing her at the shoulders though still not as large as Diego. Day by day the cub was slowly getting stronger due to the lessons she and Diego gave him. Ben could feel it as well; his muscles hardened and grew leaner and his senses sharpened everyday.

_If his father could see him, he would be proud._ Adah thought, her mood slowly dampening.

"Everything alright?" Diego asked, sitting beside her. He couldn't help but notice the solemn look on her face. Adah shook herself and shrugged it off casually.

"I'm fine. I'm just amazed at how much Ben's grown."

"Yeah the little squirt's no longer a squirt." he began walking to keep Ben within sight as he ran through the forest.

Adah followed, chuckling softly. "Soon he'll be as big as you."

"Still doesn't mean he can take me down, though." Diego boasted, but Adah said nothing, her eyes growing distant. Again he looked at her, concerned. "Something bothering you, Adah?"

"Huh?" she didn't realize she had drifted off and she had no excuse with Diego's full attention on her. "I was just thinking."

"Mind if I ask what it was about?" Diego beat himself mentally for giving in to curiosity so easily, but Adah didn't seem to mind.

"I was just thinking about how long I've been with you...," she paused and quickly corrected herself. "How long Ben and I have been with your herd. It feels like second nature now."

Diego didn't say anything for the moment as his mind scanned for a careful reply as to not make what he felt for her so obvious. "Are you having regrets about it?"

"No!" she replied quickly, surprising Diego and herself. She continued more calmly, "No, though I sometimes wonder what would happen if we ever found our pack."

"You'd go back, wouldn't you?" he asked, genuinely curious, and in hopes of getting her to answer a deeper question without him having to actually ask it.

"That's what's bothering me," she answered honestly, suddenly stopping and sitting on her haunches. Diego stopped abruptly and looked at her. "I kept myself distant from everyone, knowing there was a slight chance we could find our pack. I didn't want to get attached, and I did my best to keep Ben from doing so, but it couldn't be helped."

Adah stopped and she looked at him ruefully. Diego felt his heart beat quicken.

"And I soon found myself getting attached, especially to---"

"Diego!" rang Ben's cry. "Adah! Hurry, I found something!"

With a start, the two bolted to find Ben. He had wandered far while the two were talking and Adah feared that mistake would cost dearly. To her relief however, they found Ben once they cleared the trees. The young tiger stood in a great clearing before the wide gap between the two glacier walls. It was the opening which led to the other side.

Adah approached Ben glancing around cautiously, but she sensed no danger even though Ben was alert. Yet before she could ask what the matter was, the cub broke into a run down through the pathway.

"I caught the scent!" he shouted, "I know I did!"

"Ben!" she cried out, giving chase.

Behind her, Diego followed. Both sabers rushed to catch up to the cub, but he seemed to move quicker than normal. He was determined to find something they apparently missed. He ran down the entire length of the pathway till he reached the other side of the glacier opening. He skidded to a halt, panting heavily but looking hopeful, expectant. Diego and Adah finally caught up to him to see what he saw.

There was nothing – nothing except more forest-covered terrain. The young saber looked around with a worried expression, sniffing at the air desperate to find something that was not there. Adah looked at Diego who only shrugged, both of them were clueless to what Ben found so interesting. The grey saber assumed he was tracking an animal and lost its scent. She shouldered the cub gently.

"It must have been the wind," she said, "it just carried the scent of a herd, or something. C'mon, Ben, we should get back."

"No! I know what it was!" His response surprised her. The cub refused to go with Adah and Diego and he continued forth, heading into the woods.

"Ben!" She shouted before chasing after him again. Diego shook his head and followed.

Ben crashed through branches and bushes until he finally stopped where the trees ended and the land sloped giving way to a vast plain. Adah caught up to him. She was going to lecture him but decided to indulge the cub. She also knew they couldn't wander so far from the herd so whatever game he wanted to track, the lesson had to be brief.

"Alright, Ben we'll go tracking but only for a..." As soon as she stood beside him Adah froze.

When Diego approached he noticed neither of them moved. He walked up to them, taking a spot beside Adah. "Don't tell me the kid actually _found_ a herd...Adah...?"

He trailed off when he caught a glimpse of what Ben and Adah saw. In the distance, in the middle of the plain, were a group of sabers. His jaw almost dropped as he suddenly realized what it could mean, and at the same time unable to comprehend what was before them. Even when Ben and Adah both sprang out of the trees, Diego still did not waver. Their glad shouts were heard and the heads of all the sabers jolted up, astonished, as if hearing two voices they did not expect to hear ever again. Like a wave, the group of orange-tawny figures surged to meet the two. Ben and Adah were soon surrounded by faces dear and familiar to them, greeted by joyous shouts and cries of happiness. Diego caught a glimpse of sabers sprinting off, no doubt to spread the news to the members not present. _How many are there?_ He wondered.

The loud commotion sounded faint to Diego's ears, who could only stare at what was happening before him. No one noticed him as he sat quietly in the shade of the trees. The saber watched in complete shock, as the events unfolded so fast it felt as if it were only a dream. Soon more tigers joined, flashing gold, to orange, to sandy brown, but ever and always Diego was able to keep sight of Ben, and Adah, whose grey coat stood out among them all. The two pranced among their pack-mates, yet keeping in the center of the gathering sabers.

He felt – heard – his heart hammering in his chest while everything around him dimmed more, shifting with maddening slowness. Diego always expected one day they would find their pack. Perhaps one day too soon for him. He never did get Adah's answer to his question, but it was right in front of him. He knew it was selfish to secretly hope that day would never come. Diego grew to enjoy their friendship and their presence. The fact other sabers could be so kind and accept his herd so willingly was too good to be true. Ben was like a little brother to him who always approached him with a thousand questions. He had grown swiftly in the past weeks; already reaching the size of a half-grown, leaving his cub-hood behind. The young tiger learned much from Diego, and he was proud of Ben.

And there was Adah, who he had much trouble with in the beginning over reasons he did not share openly. In time he enjoyed her company, and lately it was to the point where it was all he desired. Her aspects, which he once found strange, were now alluring to him. Adah was lithe, and sleek-figured. She was quick in wit and speed, and she never held back when he taunted her, words or action, even though he was almost twice her size. Diego never experienced this sort of companionship even in his own pack, and never expected to after settling in with a herd. Yet there she was, beguiling him with her charms, whether she was aware of it or not. He never said anything to her, or about her, but deep down he knew what Adah was to him...

_"You're one of those "small-toothed" sabers from up north. What's a runt like you doing here?"_

_"So, Diego, what turns you on?"_

_"She had a few things to say about you, too."_

_"She cant resist you buddy! Ya got animal magnetism!"_

_"Yeah, I love her."_

...She was...

_"She's _not_ my girlfriend."_

_"There's nothing, okay?"_

_"Give it up, Diego! You might as well go with it."_

_"Go with what, exactly?"_

_"Talk with her, and you might find out."_

Adah was...

_"You ever think about going back to your own pack?"_

_"Sabers don't do well on their own."_

The one he could not have.

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"Adah! Ben! Ben, my son! You're home!"

A voice louder than the commotion altogether snapped Diego from the trance he was in. His head shot up to take a look at the one who shouted and he saw the group of tigers making way for two figures. The sleeker of the two ran to the center to welcome Adah and Ben. It was a female, and even from this distance, Diego knew she was weeping. She gathered Ben to her and cried happily.

"My son! I can't believe what I'm seeing!"

But this was not the voice that brought Diego to attention, and his gaze focused on the other figure that just approached. It was a male, a large saber by the looks of it, and Ben's expression lit up as he came up to them.

"Dad!" Ben sprang from his mother's side to greet his father.

The larger saber met his son, half rearing, playing and pawing at the cub gently before stopping to rub heads. Ben nipped at him, tugging at his shoulder before bounding off again, filled with such energy and excitement. His father smiled and came to greet Adah with a friendly nuzzle. The group around them watched with marvel and delight, all eyes fixated on the missing members, now reunited. The large saber spoke. It was his voice that had previously broken the din, and all the murmurs and gasps of amazement calmed to hear him.

"What a canny pair you two make!" he praised, "To safely traverse your way north when all of our trails had been washed clean by the floods. Welcome back home, Adah, and Ben, my son!"

The others nodded, roaring, laughing, and shouting. All repeated their leader's words "Welcome! Welcome home!"

With that done, Ben stepped up to address his parents and his pack. "We didn't make it on our own. We met some friends on our way."

"Friends? Where are they?" Ben's mother was curious, and her expression reflected the faces of the rest of the group. Ben paused a moment to think of how to explain. He was smart enough to know they would probably not accept the herd as easily as he did. In fact, most of them would only welcome them as a meal. He did not know, and he did not want to chance it.

"Only one is with us right now." Adah spoke up, helping Ben bear the weight in covering for their friends. He nodded, Ben knew at least one member of the herd their pack would welcome so openly and that was Diego.

"He's over there!" the cub turned his head to glance back at the area where they had came from.

Adah, and the others followed his gaze, only Adah and Ben really knowing the saber's location among the trees. Diego felt his muscles stiffen. All their gazes locked in his general direction even if most of them could not see him right away. He saw the large saber step up along side his son. He called out loud enough for Diego to hear clearly.

"Come out friend, there is no danger here." he spoke, "Come out so we may thank you!"


	31. Chapter 31: Send Me on My Way

**A/N:** Here we are – the final chapters in my fanfic! I'm saving the big authors notes for the end chapter, so everyone just enjoy the last chapters D

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CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE: "_Send Me on My Way_"

Diego swallowed hard. All eyes were on him as he slowly made his way through the pack of sabers. The tigers shifted, murmured, staring at this stranger who approached. They all made way for Diego who came forward to meet with their leader, Ben's father, Hagar.

His eyes glanced furtively to the side to see Ben and Adah. Ben stood happily between Adah and his mother, Nadia. Diego almost forgot how different Adah was until he saw the comparison between the two females. Ben's mother was more muscular for his kind. She was a strong beauty with a golden coat sporting a reddening hue. But his observation could not be mistaken for admiration, for his interest was already captured by the grey female. He did not have time to admire her, for now he stood before the massive form of Hagar. Diego was stunned when he first saw Hagar close up. The tiger greatly resembled Soto. The only difference Diego could see was in their demeanors; Soto was cold and ruthless, but Hagar seemed kind and patient. Still, the tiger could not help but feel humbled before the great saber.

Hagar stared at Diego for a while and it began to unnerve him. Immediately, all he could think of was how Hagar would react to his part in Soto's death, switching loyalties from his pack to a herd. All round him, he could hear the shifting of the other sabers, it felt as if everyone knew of his actions, and looked upon him like a criminal awaiting judgment. Finally, the large saber spoke.

"I thank you, friend. You may have very well saved my son's life, and Adah's. For you know our kind thrives on companionship, we keep an eye on one another. Alone, a saber may despair and my kin may have given up all hope were you, and your pack-mates, not present with them."

The other saber said nothing, but Hagar only smiled warmly and continued.

"I owe you everything, and from this day forth, you and your pack-mates are welcomed among my folk, whether to join or seek passage. There is just one favor, I ask you." Diego's eyes glanced up as the other asked. "May I have your name?"

"Diego." He replied.

He kept his head low in respect, but he could see Hagar raising his head and looking to his pack. Around them, the other sabers assented, nodded, and murmured their approval. Nadia noticed Diego's somber mood and spoke up this time; her voice was sweet and gentle.

"What is wrong?" it was almost a plea, "Does this not honor you?"

"It's not that," Diego started, glancing up to Ben and Adah, their expressions matching Nadia's. He sighed. "It's just...there's still a lot you need to know."

Hagar said nothing. He could tell in Diego's voice how serious this matter was to him. He replied by bowing his head to the other tigers, signaling his pack members to leave. Whatever was left to say between him and the stranger it was to be done so in private among his own family. Hagar only looked at Diego, waiting for him to talk, but Ben stepped up.

"Diego," he looked to both sabers, "I think it would be right if I told him."

Diego nodded and watched as Ben took his father aside to speak with him.

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Ben told his father, slowly, but in all confidence, what he learned about Soto's death, and he told him about Diego and how his pack was not a pack, but a herd. The ears of Nadia and Adah twitched. The elder female remained quiet and still, watching her mate and son speak. Adah glanced over to Diego, noticing the tiger shifting uneasily with nervous energy. She wanted to comfort him, assure him somehow. Hagar was not one who was quick to anger, but before she could even move, his voice came loud, clear, and decisive.

"Diego, come here."

The two females eyed Diego, who seemed to flinch, suddenly fearing what would happen next. Slowly, he left their company to join with Ben and Hagar. The large saber looked at him, making Diego feel uncomfortably small and helpless. For a moment he said nothing, but his eyes were sad and all at once Diego felt guilt-ridden.

Hagar finally spoke, quietly this time. "I have no doubts what my son has told me, but I need to hear it from you."

Diego replied, almost cautious. "It's true. What happened to Soto was my fault. I left his pack to protect the ones I now call my friends."

"No fault." Hagar replied, surprising Diego. "My brother's desire for revenge on the humans brought him to this end. My heart aches for him, and the path he's chosen, but I harbor no hatred for you, only gratitude."

Hagar stood up and walked past Diego and Ben, joining with Nadia who greeted him, nuzzling his neck. Exasperated and stunned by his calm reply Diego spun around to face Hagar. "That's it?"

"Nothing can be done to unmake what has passed. Shoulder none of the blame, friend. All that you have done is true to our nature, regardless who your companions are." His voice was quiet and small, confirming the immense hurt he felt inside. "I will not force you to leave. I offer you our hospitality. Rest for as long as you need before you return to your friends."

Relief flooded through Diego, fighting back to heave a large sigh. Ben walked up next to him watching as his mother and father left. On Diego's other side Adah came up.

"Will he be alright?" Diego asked.

"In time, hopefully" Adah said quietly, feeling sad for Hagar.

"I'm sorry." Was all he could think of to say. Ben shouldered him.

"Don't be. Dad has a tough hide but I know he won't blame it on you, he said so himself."

"So what now?" Diego spoke, almost afraid to ask. Ben's expression lit up a bit and he loped ahead of the other two sabers.

"Adah and I could show you around. You can meet all our friends and family!" Ben smiled, "What do you say?"

Diego didn't know if he agreed because of Ben's sincere request, or because the look Adah gave him, or because it meant stalling the inevitable parting between the three.

"Yeah. Sure, kid." He grinned.

Maybe it was all three.

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It was noon, and Diego was beginning to wonder if the others were beginning to worry about them. He did enjoy himself, however. It was an odd but pleasant feeling to be among sabers again, and ones who were kind like Adah and Ben. There were a few who were too afraid to approach him and kept their distance while they whispered or stared. Diego couldn't help but smirk when he noticed Adah giving a few glares to the other females who tried to make subtle advances.

Ben eventually ditched the two to play with old friends, and soon the other tigers gave Diego some peace while they went to eat lunch. The saber sat alone, admiring the unity of this pack while sadly pondering what had to be done.

"Diego?" Adah's voice almost sent him reeling. He thought she left as well, but the tigress was there all this time, waiting for him. "What's wrong?"

"Uh…nothing. I was just thinking."

"About?"

"This whole situation." He lowered his ears and kept his head down. He couldn't even look her in the eye. "We all knew this was going to happen eventually."

Adah was silent. She guessed what might happen when the day came she and Ben found their pack. What could she say to the herd? How would Ben react? The scenario was planned out in her head, but now, she was affected deeply by the members of the herd. She shared in their camaraderie, and saw these animals in a new perspective – Diego, most of all. Even though her heart changed, Adah knew there was still a chance for things to be right in both her worlds; her old one which she was in now, and her new one, who she was looking at.

The grey female swallowed hard, trying to gather her courage. "Diego, let's go back to the herd. You, me, and Ben. We can tell them--"

She was cut off. "No Adah."

"But-"

"The others couldn't take it. It's better if you and Ben stay here. They would have no choice but to accept it."

"Diego..." The orange tiger stood up and began to walk back to the line of trees, and behind them loomed the giant glacier opening. Adah began to follow him. "Diego, wait!"

He didn't listen, and broke into a run. Adah frowned and picked up her pace, but soon she was overcome by members of her pack. They unknowingly impeded her, all of them eager to meet with her, talk with her. She panicked as the crowd overcame her, struggling to get a view of the tiger.

But he was gone.

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"How could you do that!?" Sid exclaimed, "I thought you were smarter than that Diego!"

Diego usually ignored Sid's lectures; they had little importance to him (save the one about how to swim). This time though, his friend's words stung him more than he expected them too. The stares of shock and disapproval from the others didn't help much either. He told them all about Adah, and Ben and their pack. Surprise and happiness mingled on their faces, but also sadness. They knew too what was to come, but they did not appreciate Diego denying them the chance to say goodbye to their friends.

"So they're gone for good?" tears welled up in Eddie's eyes. Crash came to comfort his brother, also ready to bawl.

"How come you didn't let us say goodbye!" Crash turned his head to Diego, frowning. "Ben was our friend! We can say goodbye to our friends, can't we! You jerk!"

There were no snarls or growls in response from the tiger. Like it was with Adah, he kept his head turned from them. Ellie drew her two brothers close to her with her trunk, heaving a sigh. Her green eyes looked at Diego.

"Why did you do it, Diego?" she asked calmly, but the sadness was clear in her voice. Before he could answer the possums snapped.

"Because he doesn't care! Ben annoyed him, Adah annoyed him! Just like everything else does! You just don't care! Good riddance, right, Tiger?"

"That's not true!" Diego snapped startling all the members. He settled, and spoke more quietly. "I do care."

"Then why, Diego?" Sid spoke again, still exasperated.

The tiger said nothing, but his silence told them all they needed to know and their anger subsided. Diego wasn't like Manny or Sid. He didn't show what he felt obvious to the world, and it was unfair to judge him as cold-hearted. He was hurting possibly more than the rest of them combined. A few moments passed before Manny, who kept silent the entire time, stepped up beside the tiger.

"You know, you could always go back." The mammoth tried to suggest. He placed his trunk on his shoulder companionably.

"No." was Diego's short reply, pulling away. "You made your choice, Sid made his choice, and this is my choice. I'm staying."

"But...they were your friends too." Cindy sniffled. She paused before daring to go further. "And Adah..."

Diego did not deny anything, he only continued. "Ben needs her more. They need their pack. Sabers don't do well on their own."

He had spoken that last part with such distaste and self-pity. Before anyone else could say anything he turned and walked away. Diego needed to be alone and he found their stares unbearable. They were painful, and it made his heart grow tight as if teeth clenched shut around it. More than anything he wanted to rid of the awful feeling. Behind him, the others were quiet, and sad. Only Cindy's and the possums' soft sobs were heard. He could picture all of their faces, but only the two he left behind, especially the grey figure, was on his mind.

The sun had set behind the glacier horizon, the sky slowly darkened into night. The others prepared to make camp, and to bathe in the warm glow of the fire which offered no condolence. In the dark, only Diego stayed, lying quietly. Even his dimly glowing eyes expressed the hurt he felt. And none of his friends could find the words to comfort him.

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Seven days passed.

The herd moved to various places within the Crescent Forest, though they still felt heavy with sadness ever since finding out Ben and Adah would not return. Their silence only signified that they were still mourning. Even the two possums halted their daily antics and simply huddled in Ellie's fur, pouting and sniffling. Sid could not say anything to liven up the mood, and Manny could not find the words of wisdom or reassurance to comfort his friends. Diego seemed to suffer the worst, as he kept to himself, trailing in the back. Manny felt he had to check behind him constantly, fearing the tiger would stop altogether.

Diego was ashamed. He was a coward, and he was an idiot. All these things raced in his mind. He knew he could have brought Adah and Ben back even if it were only to say goodbye. It had to be less painful than what he was feeling now; at least it would be for the others. He didn't want them to go, he didn't want them to find his pack, but Diego knew better. He could not have two halves from two different worlds. Diego knew it was their place the moment he saw Adah's expression when she and Ben ran to meet their pack. Like it was his place to be with his herd, no matter how much Sid or Manny tried to convince him. Of course they would try and coax him, even if it hurt them. It was what he tried to do for Adah, even if his method was not agreeable with the others.

He should have said something. Told her anything, but in the end it might have possibly made it harder. Ben loved her, and he didn't want the cub to harbor some sort of bitterness or jealousy towards him had he decided to pursue Adah. There was no happy ending in this case. Manny and Sid were lucky when it came to finding their companions, but it was apparent that Diego was not meant to find his own. _It's not my thing anyway_ was Diego's bitter conclusion.

Nightfall was quickly approaching. The sun set over the glacier wall formations and the herd settled down, still quiet as ever. They were unsure how long it would last. It was strange to them, perhaps because this was the first time for most of them to experience the loss of a member. Manny and Sid experienced it before, back when the original trio traveled to return the baby. Near the end of their trek, they had lost Diego. They feared he was dead, and that liveliness vanished. Diego returned however, but it didn't mean the same thing could happen in this case.

The herd members all said their goodnights and drifted off to sleep. The only ones who were still awake were Manny, Sid, and Diego. Again, Diego moped quietly, his expression sullen. Sid sat beside Manny while Cindy and Ellie slept soundly beside their respective sweethearts. Diego could feel their stares on him, but he had nothing to say to them.

"You could always go back, Diego." Sid began.

"Sid I already told you." Diego responded, almost snapping, but Sid cut him off.

"No! I mean you can go back and bring Adah here. You know, do what Manny did with Ellie."

"And do what? Ask her to leave her home and friends?" he replied. This time he didn't deny anything before Sid. It was out in the open now, and he gave the sloth his victory, but Sid didn't wave it over his head smugly. "Just drop it, Sid."

"We're your friends! We don't want to leave you behind." Cindy snuggled against Sid more, as if emphasizing his point. "You said it yourself, right? 'Sabers don't do well on their own'!"

"Save it." came the tiger's curt reply. Manny raised an eyebrow.

"You know, I think your underestimating her about this whole thing." the mammoth spoke.

"Really?" Diego's reply was sarcastic and it made Manny frown, but his tone vanished when he continued. "It's been days, she's probably gotten over it. I didn't say anything to her, and now I'm paying for it."

"Diego..."

"I don't want to talk about it." the tiger turned his head away, and that was that. Nothing more was said.

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Morning came. The sun was peering over the glacier formation on the east side, and birds chirped, heralding the new day. Joyous as it was, Diego was still in a sour mood. Sun curtains streamed down, hitting him in the eyes. He squinted and placed one paw over his eyes, grunting. He heard the others around him also beginning to stir. It would be time to head out and find some breakfast but Diego was in no mood to eat. Instead of getting up right away, Diego closed his eyes.

"Try these, Ellie!" he heard Crash and Eddie's voices followed by Ellie's footfalls. The two possums led her to a cluster of bushes, all of them bearing ripe juicy berries.

"Jackpot!" Ellie smiled. She reached down and tugged at the branches. The bushes rattled, and Ellie pulled away. Her two brothers look at her, both puzzled.

"What's wrong Ellie?"

"I didn't do that." she stated.

"You can't scare us, Ellie! We saw you--"

"SURPRISE!"

A figure leapt out of the bushes, startling the shemmoth and possums. Screaming at the top of their lungs, they turned on their backs and feigned death. Ellie, being much heavier than her siblings, caused the ground to shake from her act. All these sounds caught the attention of the other members; Manny in particular. He rushed to find Ellie, and was soon followed by Sid and Cindy. Diego also heard the commotion and ran after them. They all stopped when they came upon Ellie, Crash and Eddie. Sitting in the middle of the trio was Ben, who was just as confused.

Manny returned the look, shocked to see the cub again. Sid made his way past his giant friend and shouted when he saw the young tiger.

"BEN!"

"Ben?" the "dead" figures sprang back to life.

"Ben?!" Diego made his way up front beside Manny and Sid. Ben only grinned.

"What are you looking at? You act as if I was gone forever!"

"BUDDY!" Crash and Eddie jumped on his back, scurrying all over him. He laughed and playfully pawed at them, rolled around, and jumped. Their reunion was cut short when Ellie yanked the tiger with her trunk, bringing him up against her face in a hug. Sid and Cindy rushed to meet him as soon as the shemmoth placed him down, giving him their own hugs. The cub laughed and took it all in, but stopped as they all drew away, and faced Manny, and Diego.

"It's good to see you again, squirt." Manny nodded with a smile. Ben nodded back then looked at Diego. The tiger was still in shock. Ben jumped at him, trying to wrestle with him, which snapped Diego back to his senses and he batted the cub away.

"Still not good enough to beat me, kid." he smirked. Ben laughed while shaking off and yelped as the older tiger drew him in, giving him a noogie on the head. The cub yanked away, brushing his ruffled fur with a paw. Diego's smirk soon faded and he couldn't help but glance around. "Did you come here on your own?"

"He's impatient; you should know that, Diego."

With a start, Diego turned to face the one who spoke. Adah sat calmly in the spot where Ben had ambushed Ellie and the possums. The shemmoth, her brothers, Cindy and Sid ran to meet her. With a shout, Ben bounded off to join in the reunion. Adah smiled as Ben was as Cindy and Ellie hugged her in greeting. Even allowing Sid to fling his arms around her while he sobbed happily. She pranced and frisked with Ben around the others and under the legs of Ellie. Manny, was the only one who kept composure, but no doubt there was a smile behind his trunk. With a sly smile, Ellie "innocently" nudged the grey saber out of their small circle, and she now faced the still shocked Diego.

Adah coughed, clearing her throat and regained her usual composure. Diego shook his head, and continued to stare. She did not smile, but her eyes told him differently. They baited him, and soon he found his voice.

"Did they get tired of you already?" he smirked lightly. Adah did not bristle. Instead, she returned his cool gaze with one of her own.

"Ben was worried about you, that's all."

"Liar!" they could hear him laugh in the back. The two possums jumped all over him, tickling the young tiger. His response made Adah's front break, and she smiled. Diego's smirk widened a bit, but then it vanished. His mood turned serious.

"Why did you come back?" he said quietly so only she could hear. Adah's smile did not leave.

"Well, if you would've stayed a little longer and listened to me instead of running off you'd know." her voice softened a bit, also growing quieter. Behind her, the rest of the herd paid them no heed, perhaps giving them their privacy, or perhaps already knowing the outcome. "We wanted to come back."

"What? What about your pack?"

"That's why we were gone for a while. We wanted to catch up with our friends and our family. And with Ben now a half-grown, he can go where he pleases. Besides, he misses all of you. Crash and Eddie are his friends and even if he's away from his pack he can still learn a lot from you."

Diego's smirk returned. "Okay so those are his reasons for coming back. What about yours?"

"First of all, where Ben goes, I go."

"Of course."

"And, well..." she paused, looking at him with a shy interest. "There's the possibility of finding a suitable mate."

Her comment stunned him, and for a moment all he could do was stare at her. Adah only smiled knowingly and stood up. Again, that unnamed emotion for him beckoned her, but instinct did not have to encourage her because she did not hesitate this time. Advancing closer, Adah sidled up next to him and nuzzled up against his neck. Diego felt his skin grow taut, his blood beating hot at her touch. He heard her purring and soon heard the guttural sound coming from him. He returned her gesture of affection, uncaring if the others saw or not.

"I think there are some good odds of that." he finally replied.

"Sounds like it, you're purring." She said.

"I'm growling in content." Diego corrected.

"Whatever you say, Tiger."

More laughter interrupted them and they broke away from each other to see the possums, and Ben tackling Sid. He pleaded mercy, but Cindy and Ellie only laughed, encouraging the young trio to continue their antics. Adah smiled and loped away to join the rest of the herd. Diego still smirked, and followed her at a languid pace. Manny acknowledged Diego with a nod as the tiger stopped beside him, with the other returning it. There was nothing that was needed to be said. Everything was back to the way they were used to, and they were content.

Sid huffed, finally able to breath as Ben, Crash and Eddie backed away to give the sloth space. Sid stood up and brushed off. Before they could tackle him again, Cindy encouraged the boys to chase her in a round of tag. Ellie stamped her large feet in excitement and trodded off, remembering this game when they had first met Ben. The cub nipped at Adah on the shoulder, urging her to come, and she obliged. They all rushed to the tall grass to begin the game.

"This is turning out to be quite the side show." Manny said as he watched the others run off.

"I think it's great!" Sid grinned. "The best of everything right here!"

"How long do you think it would last?" Diego asked. His two comrades looked at him, also unsure of the answer.

"Who knows, but I'm going to enjoy every minute of it." The sloth grinned which earned an agreeable nod from the other two.

"Well, Sid," Manny began, "it's like you said, right? This is the weirdest herd you've ever seen."

Sid casually brushed off the leaves stuck on his fur. "Nah, you got it all wrong, Manny!"

"What do you mean, Sid?" asked Diego.

"I mean I stand corrected." He tossed his arms up in the air, exclaiming. "This is the best herd I've ever seen!"

Diego and Manny stared at Sid, and only smiled. For once, they had to agree with him.


	32. Chapter 32: Epilogue

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO: "_Epilogue_"

Sid sneezed, sniffled, and rubbed a claw under his nose. The Ice Age was known to be cold but Sid was fonder of the warmer seasons like spring and summer. He got to lounge all day in trees, and take naps in the sun, although one of his favorite parts about winter was foraging for food. It was the one time he could gorge to his hearts content without anyone questioning his habit. Well, Manfred and Diego would complain about his messy habits, but they complained regardless of the season. Today though, he was left behind while the rest foraged, and only hoped Cindy brought him back something good. He never complained about being left behind. Every time he looked at his young son playing in the snow, and the offspring of his two friends, he knew it was a worthy cause.

It was Sid's turn to baby-sit for the week. The herd had stopped for the day, afraid to chance going through a storm which was quite evident in the growing black clouds in the distance. Still, it was safe enough to allow the children to play outside. Sid sat by the cave opening where they planned to spend the night, keeping a careful eye on the little ones.

His son, he and Cindy cleverly named Cid, took after him a great deal. Although he was perhaps more hygienic than his father, Cid was very friendly and a very clumsy. Manny often wondered how Sid could discern between the names since they sounded similar but the sloth merely stated to the mammoth that he would not understand. Cid's pelt color was similar to his mother's, pale yellow, but it darkened to green at his arms and legs. The little sloth was forming a pile of snowballs, but it was scattered by the two cubs frisking in the snow.

"Hey! Di! Abby!" he shouted.

"I'm sorry Cid!" the little female stopped, only to be tackled by her brother.

The other cub pinned her and tugged at her ear while she batted him away, but to no avail. Di (pronounced Dee), and Abby were Diego and Adah's two charming cubs. Di was his father's son who enjoyed rough housing with anyone nearby, willing or unwilling. In his eyes they were all his prey. He also shared in his father's golden-tawny coat, but he had blue eyes. Abby was his most frequent pouncing victim because she was easy to win against. The little female cub was grey in color but she did not have the spots her mother had, and her eyes were green like her father's. Abby was not as fearsome as her brother, but like most cubs, she loved to play

Di broke off from bullying his sister and bounded towards Cid who realized he was the next target. He packed some snow in his claws and tossed it, hitting the cub smack in the head. Cid cried out in triumph but then let out a Sid-like scream, waddling off as Di continued to chase him, snow still plastered on his face. The two animals kicked up snow as they ran, and dashed past the mammoth calf walking by. She let out a piping trumpet cry in surprise. Abby rushed to her side for comfort and yelled at the two playing boys.

"You scared Millie!"

Immediately the little sloth and little saber stopped and slowly made their way to the calf and cub with their heads bowed apologetically.

"We're sorry, Millie." Cid said quietly.

The calf smiled and all was right with them. Millie was rightfully named because she was Ellie's daughter disguised as Manfred. She was the youngest of the group, just born a few months ago during spring. She was old enough to be left in the care of the other herd members while her parents were gone, though she still needed the nourishment from her mother. Millie was dark-colored like Manny, with a wild shock of hair. Her eyes were as green as her mother's, and with the darkness of her coat, they stood out even more. The calf, despite being so young, was very inquisitive, although she spooked easily, still new to the world around her. It made Manny all the more protective, and the other members of the herd helped in keeping an eye on her. Not only that, but Millie's playmates, Cid, Di, and Abby took it upon themselves to look after her especially.

The sound of scrunching snow caught Sid's attention and he pulled his attention away from the kids to look back and see a tiger approach. At first he mistook him for Diego, but the two possums sitting atop his back only told the sloth that it was Ben.

"Hey Ben! Crash, Eddie!" he greeted. His call caught the attention of the others and they all ran to meet with their uncles.

"Uncle Crash! Uncle Eddie! Uncle Ben!" they cried. The trio was overcome by the cubs and sloth, and Ben was suddenly pulled in by Millie's stubby trunk for a hug. Crash and Eddie hopped down from his back and darted around Cid and the two cubs before jumping on Millie to give them their own hug. Ben smiled and sat beside Sid as the two possums led the kids away to play games in the snow.

"Hey Sid." Ben greeted.

"Yo!" he grinned. "Are the others coming back yet?"

"Yeah, they should be coming soon." he smiled.

"C'mon 'Uncle' Ben! Let's play!" One of the possums teased, waving him over.

He smiled and bounded after them. Sid watched, marveling at Ben's growth. He was no longer a half-grown, but a young adult now. Ben was the same height and heft as Diego, meeting him at the shoulder. Judging by his memory of Soto, Ben was no doubt going to get larger. Thankfully he did not share any traits with his uncle other than size and color.

Ben had left the herd a year ago to return to his pack, not long after Di and Abby were born. It was time for him learn the things an heir should learn from his father. His departure saddened the herd, but he promised to visit often, and he kept true to his word. His friendship with Crash and Eddie never waned and the three were always causing as much trouble now as they did back when they were young. The tiger had become an envoy on behalf of his father, often treating with Miakoda's pack, negotiating territory as the seasons changed. When the herd migrated during the change of seasons, Ben always accompanied them for several days as an escort. Now, he traveled with them as they headed south for the winter, and next spring, when they would return to Crescent Forest, Ben would be there to meet them.

More footfalls caught Sid's attention and he turned to see the two mammoths returning from their forage, and Cindy waddling along side the shemmoth. Instantly, Cid and Millie raced to greet their parents, while the others tagged along.

"Momma!" the little calf called.

"Millie!" Ellie wrapped her trunk around her daughter as she snuggled into her mother's warm fur.

"How's our little-big girl doing?" Manny smiled warmly, and also put his trunk around his daughter. The little calf reveled in their attention.

Millie's birth had changed Manfred greatly. It was most likely due to his past that Manny was so protective of his daughter, but Ellie and the other members would assure him things would be alright. Whenever Millie was not in his sight Manfred would almost panic. Ellie always kept him in line though. The shemmoth was a wonderful mate, and mother, who often had Crash and Eddie help her with Millie. Manny only hoped Millie did not pick up on any of their habits any time soon.

It wasn't surprising how well Ellie took to being a mother. With Crash, Eddie, and Ben running around; the shemmoth had good practice. However, Millie was not as wild as the young trio so Ellie did not have to worry, even with her brothers' constant influence. She spent more time trying to calm Manny down whenever Millie decided to explore any place two feet away from her parents. Ellie guessed Manny might not agree with the idea of teaching their calf how to hang from a tree like a possum. Oh well, maybe when she was a little older.

Sid stood up to join his family. Cid already beat his dad to Cindy, who enfolded him in her arms. Cid was first born in the herd, a few months before Di and Abby. Cindy spoiled him, but always encouraged him to have good manners. It explained why the little sloth had better eating habits than Sid (but he shared in his love for large quantities of food). He was worried of Cid's timid nature, but as soon as the cubs were old enough, they became fast friends. The same went for Millie. Cid's dynamic with Di reminded Sid of himself and Diego, though unlike his father, Cid never taunted Di. He was simply the victim of the little cub's antics. Sid would also claim to be a mere victim of Diego's violent acts, but he knew no one would countenance.

"Find anything good?" Sid asked Cindy.

"Yep! I found some nutpods, I know you like those!" She shrugged, "No dandelions though."

"Darn!" he lowered himself to meet Cid at eye level. "How about it Cid, we split the nutpods between you and me?"

"Okay, but I want the bigger one."

"Hey, that doesn't sound fair!"

"Ma, and gramma Rose said I'm a growing sloth and need my nourishment!" Cid said as a matter-of-factly. Cindy only giggled and placed him down so he could play with the others.

It wasn't long before Diego and Adah returned, and it was the cubs turn to greet their parents. Immediately, Di lunged for his father, who dodged, snickering at his son's hapless attempt to take him down. When the cub did not settle down, Diego simply sat on him just enough to impede the cub and not harm him. Di squirmed, and Abby only smiled, gloating silently as her mother groomed her.

"Didn't you learn anything from me, or Ben?" Diego taunted the cub. "You're never gonna take me down. You better calm down if you want to eat later."

Di gave Ben a pleading look to help him out of his predicament but the other tiger only shrugged sheepishly, proving Diego's point that even he could not contest with his father. The possums only chuckled which encouraged the cub to struggle even more, until he finally gave up in a huff. Diego sat up and joined Adah, and she nuzzled up against him. Even with two cubs, Diego and Adah managed to keep them under control. The grey saber had experience thanks to Ben when he was a cub. Diego learned by taking cues from Adah, figuring out when it was good to panic, or keep cool. He gave himself credit though; he was managing a lot better than Manny was.

Diego never imagined things would turn out like this, but was happy to be with Adah, and he adored his cubs. The cubs were always with him when Adah was not around or when they were not hunting. He was the prime target of Di's pouncing (although he still needed work), and Abby constantly demanded his attention and an occasional game of "Where's the Baby". And at night, both of them would snuggle up with him in sleep, hogging him away from Adah. The tough saber found he was at their mercy, but he never complained.

After Ben and Adah decided to stay with the herd, the two managed to still keep in touch with their pack. Adah said the young females of their pack were already chomping at the bits to get near Ben. He was old enough to eye females, but it would probably be a while before he decided to settle down. The two even managed to convince Diego to join them on their visits. Hagar was curious to know more of the tiger who finally sparked Adah's eye. By next spring, they planned to introduce the cubs to their foster-grandfather. They were weaned, and old enough to discover things beyond their herd, but also hoped it was first in their hearts.

Abby left her mother to be babied by her father this time and nestled comfortably between his forepaws. Diego smiled, and ruffled the fur on her head with a paw. Adah reached over and snagged Di to give him his bath, and he protested loudly, but his pleas were ignored.

Diego shook his head and looked at Ben. "So, kid, are you having fun playing diplomat?"

"It's pretty neat, I get to explore new territories and stuff." he smiled.

"Didn't you say you went to visit that wolf pack just recently?" Sid asked.

Ellie's eyes lit up. "That's right! Did you see Tate and Tala?"

Adah released her son who jumped away to join Cid in play. "Yeah, how are they doing?"

"Tala's expecting." Ben announced, earning joyous gasps from Cindy and Ellie.

"That's wonderful!"

"Tater's gonna have his paws full though!" Crash snickered.

"He's got the moooves!" Eddie jived and soon his brother joined. They gasped when their sister's trunk came down on them, and they barely dodged it. "Aw, Ellie!"

"I didn't think mutt-face would get that far." Diego said sarcastically, only to be nipped by Adah. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding!"

"Good for them." Manny nodded, minding his step as Millie kept in-between his front legs.

"And what about the mini-sloths?" Sid added in. "How is my family doing there?"

"Pretty good." Ben replied as he scratched his side with one hind leg. "Miss Rose is still matriarch, and I heard Uncle Fungus became head Fire Priest or something fancy sounding like that."

"What about Bernie?" Eddie asked.

"He says hi!" Ben grinned, "We found a great spot for log-rolling. We'll show you next spring!"

"Awesome!" the brothers shouted happily.

"Promise me you won't encourage Millie to try. _Ever._" Manny pleaded.

"Okay, okay." Eddie said defensively. "We promise! Chill big guy, chill!"

"Hah, ok kiddies, let's get you some food before they decide to show you what log-rolling is!" Ellie shook her head, smiling and urging her daughter forward. Crash and Eddie joined with Ben and encouraged the others to chase them. Mille ran from under her father's legs and went after Ellie while while Cid, Di, and Abby went after the boys. Ellie kept the rear guard, and with a wave of her trunk, signaled Cindy and Adah to come.

"Listen to your mom, got that, Di?" Diego called. "And stop picking on your sister!"

"Yes dad." his son droned.

"Millie you stay close with Mom, don't wander off to far. And don't listen to everything Crash and Eddie say!" Manny instructed.

"Hey!" Crash shouted.

"Keep an eye on your mommy, Cid!" Sid said, cupping his mouth with his claws.

"I will!" was his reply.

"Gosh they're really something, aren't they?" Sid sighed, admiring the herd. "Taking care of Cid always reminds me of the little guy. In fact, I think taking care of him helped me get a good start in raising my own kid!"

"You mean Pinky?" Manny asked, and Sid nodded.

"You think he remembers us at all?"

"Tch. Please, we probably gave that poor kid a complex." Diego said, but his expression softened. "Though I do miss him, but Di and Abby helped ease that."

"Same with Cid." Sid agreed.

"Yeah..." Manny trailed off.

The other two mammals watched him. They knew the mammoth had an especially large soft spot for that human child. And like Sid and Diego, his own child, and the offspring of his herd-members reminded Manny of the baby constantly. He didn't ponder much about what he was doing now. He was gone, and life went on, that's how it was. Though he suddenly remembered the odd charm his human father gave him as a token of appreciation. Long ago he had it on his tusk, wearing it proudly, but he feared it would slip off and he would lose it. So Sid managed to weave the trinket into the mammoth's wooly fur, nestled in a spot behind his head. It was hidden for the most part, but the mammoth could feel it tugging on his fur; a constant reminder.

"Well, whatever." Manny shrugged, in a way shrugging off the feeling of nostalgia. "I'm sure he's doing fine."

Diego and Sid grinned at the mammoth. They knew him well enough that he could not bury things under that tough hide of his anymore. Manny realized this by their grins and huffed, stomping off to join the others.

"Stop looking at me like that." he grumbled. "I don't look into these things as much as you do, Sid."

"Whatever you say, buddy." he replied, still grinning. He and the tiger both followed him.

"I mean it!"

"Sure, sure, we believe you, Manfred." Diego joined in. Their casual responses only annoyed him.

"Oy." Manny huffed.

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Scrat bounded through the snow with little effort, sending snow flurries up into the air. It floated down as delicate as feather down, along with the snow falling from the grey skies above. The weather had been fair today, and it was good for burying acorns.

The saber-toothed squirrel explored a familiar area; a rocky cliff with a waterfall. Atop the cliffs he could smell, even see, dark billows of smoke. He knew humans dwelled here, but with winter already upon the land, he also knew most of them left to their migrating grounds, beyond Glacier Pass. Scrat bounded up beside the cliff wall, scratching at the ground to see if it was unfrozen. He couldn't help but notice the odd markings on the rock face. A few feet above the small squirrel he noticed paintings. Pictures made by the humans. He did not know what they were for but many of them were familiar to his little squirrel eye. Yet something was strange about these paintings. They seemed sloppy. Most of them consisted of mammoths, tigers, and sloths.

Sloths? That was the first time he ever saw a sloth painting. One in particular caught his attention and it was the three animals surrounding the painting of a human figure. Scrat found himself staring at that one for a while, for once, forgetting about the pressing matters of hiding his nut. This image oddly called to him, as if he should know it. As if he saw something like this before. He grunted, scratching his head as his mind struggled for the memory.

"_Tanah!_"

A strange and awfully close sound sent the small rodent screaming and he flung himself against the rock wall, looking forward to see what the noise was. His acorn was suddenly in front of him, and holding it was a young human. The child stared at him curiously, and smiled.

"_Tanah se pucha?_"

The human spoke but it fell on ears unfamiliar with his language. Scrat trembled. He was never this close to a human before. He heard enough stories about them, and seen the skins and hides of animals from abandoned camps to know these creatures were predators.

"_Dunkar._" he spoke again, drawling out that particular word. The boy shook the acorn in front of him. Was he trying to offer the acorn? Scrat slowly crouched low to the ground, still eying the human warily. Instinct bid him to flee but another part of him did not want to leave without that nut. The human was offering it, or so it looked that way. His eye twitched. The acorn became more tantalizing by the minute, and the rodent gave into temptation. In one swift move he deftly snatched the nut from between the human boy's fingers and hugged his prize.

"_Tanah mar pucha dunkar mey!_" The young boy smiled, and while Scrat was distracted he managed to pet the little mammal on his head. He stood up, towering over the squirrel, looking at him one last time before leaving after his human herd that was just descending the path going down the cliff side. The human in the lead of the group called for the younger one.

"_Roshan! Suba te yenkar!_"

"_Ahn!_"

Scrat had shut his eyes when the boy patted him, but he opened his eyes in time to see his leave. Amazed by what happened and the fact he let him live, in a burst of happiness, Scrat danced around. The human stopped and looked back and the saber-toothed rodent thought he was replying to his action, but he did not look at Scrat. Instead, he looked up the ascending path leading to the top of the cliff. He cupped his hands over his mouth.

"_Manny! Diego! Sid!_"

Scrat stopped. He suddenly understood what the human was speaking! Why did it sound familiar? Again his mind struggled to find the memory. He thought so hard he felt the ground beneath him shaking! Wait, that wasn't caused by some hidden telekinesis, it was caused by something else. Startled, Scrat's head turned in all directions until his eyes fell on the cliff pathway. The cause of the ground-shaking stampeded their way down the path, and towards him! Before he could escape, he was flattened by the paws, claws, and giant feet of a saber cub, sloth, and mammoth calf. Young as they were, they were still very heavy, especially the calf.

Ahead, the three mammals joined up with the boy who greeted them all with gestures of affection; patting, hugging, scratching. He walked off, after his human herd, and the three infants followed him eagerly.

Behind, Scrat moaned. This memory of being squished was far too familiar with him, and suddenly he realized his acorn was nowhere in sight. He pulled himself out of the crater and sniffed around furtively, trying to find the scent. There was nothing, and Scrat could do nothing but give into defeat.

Above, unknowingly to Scrat, the acorn fell. It was tossed up during the stampede and it came closer to the ground, its shadow narrowing in on the squirrel's head. Scrat's ears pricked, hearing a stranger whistling noise, and he looked up and squeaked. With arms wide open, he waited expectantly for his prize that seemed to fall like manna from heaven.

_THOK!_

He missed.

And the nut landed squarely on his little noggin, sending his sense reeling. Scrat staggered, tongue flopping out of his mouth, and fell neatly back into the crater he just came out from. The nut flew up during the impact but fell down again, and back on top of his head. He was unconscious, but a stupid grin was plastered clearly on Scrat's face as little acorns danced circles around his head.

**THE END**

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**A/N:** TA-DA! I'm finished! I'm finally finished! I know I practically say this after every update but I really hope you enjoyed the end chapters (and the fic as a whole) I'm so amazed at how many reviews this thing has gotten! I know my writing/grammar is not perfect (though I try really hard with spell check and my own editing) so I am very, very grateful people enjoyed my hard work

To be honest, back when I wrote this chapter I was beating my brains out with the mush scenes. I really hope I didn't butcher Diego's character. Seeing as anything dealing with that sort of stuff is all up to fans to depict him but I did my best to keep his original character intact. And the epilogue is what you would consider my guilty pleasure. Yes, some people might find it incredibly cheesy but I don't care XD I love endings like that XB I don't know if I was to clear on the details of the babies' ages, but Cid was born first, Di and Abby were born a year later, and Millie was born last.

Credit goes to my two buddies **Gohan2z** and **ShinCinati** for helping me name Cid, Di, and Abby. Millie is my homage to the first Ice Age fanfic I read called "Clarity of Life" by **RadiantBeam**.

And I had to add Roshan at the end cuz…well I felt like it so HAW! As for his "caveman" language that is COMPLETELY made up, so don't ask. Hopefully you could guess he was talking about the acorn. I didn't make him too old either; my guess is he would be around maybe 6 or 7 years old. I like the idea of him still being a child so he can still kinda remember what happened to him as a wittle baby.

And I want to thank everyone for reading, and reviewing. That was a real ego boost and encouragement to keep going!!

**LooneyLucas**: My first reviewer LOL! Recognize!

**Rebell**: Thanks for sticking around for my entire fic, I enjoyed reading your reviews! X3

**Bdlywrttn**: Celia! We became good friends through our fanfics, and hope we can still keep in touch no matter what! LOVE AND HUGS CHICKA!

**Eagle205**: You practically reviewed every chapter and gave me some great advice. Thanks a lot!

**Baltoluver63**: Another friend made via fanfic reviews! You've helped me a lot as well X3 and I'd like to say a lot of your writing is what inspired me to do some of my mush scenes! Good luck with your fics and take care!

**Forever**: Thanks for your reviews, and glad to see you make a post on the last chapters! Hope you had a good vacation!

**MattII**: You were my 100th reviewer! I counted through them all to find out haha XD Thanks for always posting!

**MoonlitSorrow**: You were my 200th reviewer! Does the fact that I counted to find out mean I have no life? XD

And to everyone else! A lot of my frequent reviewers like **Princess Lame-o**, **Funkywatermelon**, **AzureAquarius**, **Prof. David**, **Wildmagelette**, **Tikaani**, **soaringphoenix86**, **Padme4000**, **Diego4life** (now called spottedstar106!) And forgive me if I didn't mention you here. I was looking through all my pages and figured I could just list everyone one by one XD but that might be a long list. Course that's also a good thing for me right? I feel sad it's like saying goodbye to a whole bunch of friends!

Though I'm glad I made friends by joining and through this fanfic. Hopefully, in time, I'll try and post something else. Thanks again and again and again for making this such a blast to post up! Goodbye everyone!

Maudiebeans


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